The Witchblade: Originsby 13 PotatoesChaptersOrigins: Rebirth (EDITED)(Case 1-2: The Masked Woman): Iron and Steel(Case 1-3: The Masked Woman): The Queen and Jester(Case 1-4: The Masked Woman): For the Glory(Case 2-1 Ninkasi): Dread and Hunger(Case 2-2 Ninkasi): School Day (EDITED)(Case 2-3 Ninkasi): The Gluttonous Fundraiser(Case 1-1: The Masked Woman): The WitchbladeOrigins: Rebirth (EDITED)Snow drifted gently down from the dark clouds above Canterlot City. It signaled the previous year's death and the beginning of a new one. Yet, when Sunset looked out of her window, the only thing she could think of was how bleak the year was looking already. Winter break was about to end in a couple of days, and the semester was about to begin with her ostracized by the entire school. Sunset Shimmer got up from her desk and patted down her clothes as Ray lounged on her desk under the lamp, enjoying the heat. She looked upon the surface at all the documents, photos, and recordings that she had gathered from Anon-A-Miss. She had taken everything the account posted and used it as evidence to slowly pinpoint who the user could be, but to no avail. Whoever was using the account was too slippery, too cunning for her to catch. That was to be expected since it all started after the battle of the bands. It started off simply by posting photos of her friends at the slumber party, revealing all their embarrassing secrets. They then, of course, immediately assumed it was her and assumed that she was the one who was trying to embarrass them. If that was not bad enough, Anon-A-Miss began to systematically tear her social life apart. First, it started by posting other students' secrets and photos, things that many did not want to be revealed. She started to be despised and harassed by other students, who all thought it to be her posting it, that she had reverted back to her old ways yet again. But there were some who were not yet convinced that she was the culprit, especially since it didn’t match what she would have done back in her queen bitch days. Anon-A-Miss must have realized this because then they started to blackmail others. Blackmail them to do Sunset favors she never asked for or to sabotage other students around and close to her. Force a kid to trip a girl who spat at her, force a student to sabotage another one's homework, or embarrass a kid who picked on her. Whoever this person was, they were an expert at framing others, and they had her in their crosshairs, and this was enough to convince nearly all that Sunset had returned to her manipulative ways. The positive side to this was that she stopped being tripped, beaten up, or bruised. Instead, everyone avoided her like the plague, scared of her yet again, or in the worst cases, hated her. Sunset grabbed a photo from her desk and over towards the wall where she hung a board. There she organized all her evidence and tried to connect them to see if she could get a coherent picture on who the culprit was. However, the more she looked into it, the more messy it became. She pinned the photo onto the board and connected it to the area near SugarCube Corner. The area had become a hotspot for incidents from Anon-A-Miss, but also the most recent strings of murders. Nobody knew who the murderers were, how many there was, or how they were committing their crimes. She took out her phone and opened up MyStable to the top post being about the most recent murder which happened in the warehouse district, the body being mutilated to the point where the police refused to comment about the state of the body, leaving it to imagination. However, that didn’t stop internet sleuths to dig up what happened. The post read that the body looked like it had been fried from the inside out, but the rest of the body looked untouched. There was burnt tissue found in the flesh of the victim that seemed to show that they were electrified from the inside out. The photo the person found showed the corpse which sat on the ground, staring up into the air, lifeless. The police called cases like these ‘The Mystery Murders’, and now another victim had been added to the pile. It had been going after the fall formal, and it had slowly ramped up. At first, it was thought to be one murderer, but as more started to appear, doubts began to sink in, with the most recent being the most puzzling. People were dying in stranger ways, with the remains becoming more mutilated. The intake in strange deaths had been going on for a couple of weeks now, and Sunset made sure to be careful whenever she walked outside. She always stayed with the crowd, or near crowded places, and ensured she always took a good look around before heading into shady areas. Her investigation or Anon-A-Miss started to bring her to areas that run down, or falling apart, so she had to take extra caution. Before adding the murder to her board, she scrolled down to the most recent post from Anon-A-Miss. The entire comment section had her name mentioned directly or in passing. Telling her to leave school, cussing her out, or outright threats. Though which ones were from her school and who weren’t was worrying since Anon-A-Miss thought that screwing over a school wasn’t enough. She clicked the Anon-A-Miss profile picture, which was a silhouette of her on a red and yellow background. It wasn’t very subtle, it was basically declaring to the world that she was in fact Anon-A-Miss. Sunset scrolled down to the most recent posting and compared it to the previous postings. She narrowed her eyes and noticed that each one had something similar about them, a pattern. Some of them had SugarCubeCorner in the background, or what looked to be a silhouette of it there. She was suspicious that the poster hung around the area, but she couldn’t pinpoint the time and place of the photo or video. The most recent posting had the store clearly in the backdrop, but there was a small detail. Her five friends, Rarity, Pinkie, Applejack, RainbowDash, and Fluttershy, were all there. They were looking glum, and not touching their strawberry ice cream smoothie. She remembered walking past that store the day before and seeing them there. She remembered looking at them through the window and reaching out towards them with shaky hands, and tears in her eyes. Her heart and her mind pushed her to go towards them, to beg with them once more, to tell them that she was not Anon-A-Miss, to do it on her knees if she had to. But she knew deep inside that it would not work. So she turned around and left, failing to repress tears of a friendship she once enjoyed. However, that meant the post and the photo was recent, which meant that she had a lead on the user. Sunset felt her heart race with excitement and hope filled her body for it was the first lead in weeks. She analyzed the post and saw that it was about Octavia who was exiting the store with a huge ice cream cone. ‘Wow what a distinguished lady, stuffing her face like a slob. What would mother say?’ Was the caption. Sunset quickly rushed over toward her drawer and took out her winter clothes, putting them on as quickly as possible. A thick blue sweater, and a pair of white earmuffs was enough for her, but she took a red and gold scarf just in case. She was about to leave but remembered her small lizard. She walked back and took Ray off the desk much to its annoyance, and placed him into his terrarium. “Sorry Ray, but I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Sunset reassured the small lizard before taking out his small jar of food. She filled her lizard's food bowl and gave Ray a small kiss on the forehead. “I’ll be safe.” Sunset then headed out of her front door and stepped into the frigid air outside, feeling prepared for whatever the world was going to throw at her. Witchblade Sunset stood in front of the diner, looking into it. It wasn’t the food that she was interested in, but she was hoping she could catch sight of her friends there. She just wanted to see them, even if she couldn’t sit there amongst them. Today, however, she had no such luck, only catching sight of Pinkie Pie, who worked in the bakery. She wondered if she should walk in and buy something just to cheer up her old friend. However, Pinkie Pie was looking down in the dumps, her head hung low, accompanied by a sad frown. However, her hair always remained poofy, and Sunset noticed that whenever a customer walked in, Pinkie would change expression quickly. “Secret Stealer!” Sunset took in a sharp breath and closed her eyes as she tried to erase that memory. Despite every muscle in her body pushing her to be enraged at her five former friends, to lash out, to curse their every muscle. But her heart reminded her of what she did before Twilight Sparkle came into the world. How she tormented the entire school, how she threatened them all, and made their lives a living hell. How could she blame them for holding a grudge, for having it in their hearts, festering like a disease. However, sometimes, anger would overtake her, and she would imagine, and indulge herself in dark fantasies. Shoving them down, scolding them, inflicting every humiliation, every pain she had endured during Anon-A-Miss before cutting them out forever. Yet, on the other hand, she understood why they did what they did. They were young, they were brash, and she had wronged them before. It tore her apart, and it was painful, and sometimes she would fall asleep in a mix of sorrow and rage. “Scones for sale! Anyone?! Come on!” A familiar voice caught Sunset’s ears. She turned around and saw none other than Gilda. The girl was selling scones at the side of the road at a food stand, with many people passing by her, ignoring her. Sunset got off her motorcycle and walked up to the scone stand to look up at the bully standing over her. Gilda was wearing a thick brown jacket with white frills in the interior which paired well with her copper-coloured trousers and gold gloves. Unfortunately, it was soured by the scowl that was always on the girl's face. “Oh, it’s you. What do you want, dweeb?” Gilda sneered as she flicked a bottle containing maple syrup. “Never thought the big bad bully of Canterlot High would be here selling scones,” Sunset smirked. “Yeah yeah, put it on Anon-A-Miss. See if I care.” Gilda scowled. Sunset clenched her teeth at that accusation. No matter how many times she heard that same accusation, it never failed to get under her skin. The sheer injustice of the entire situation caused her muscles and veins to tighten as she tried suppress snapping at the rough girl. “I was just making an observation,” Sunset said curtly. “Well are you going to stare or are you going to buy a scone?” Gilda leered. “Because if you aren’t buying fuck off.” “Matter of fact I will buy one.” Sunset took out her wallet and procured a ten dollar bill. “How much?” “Usually it’s five dollars,” Gilda smirked. “For you it’s ten.” “Go fuck yourself. You’re lucky I am hungry.” Sunset handed her bill over, and Gilda served a scone in response. “Why don’t you go to SugarCube Corner like everyone else?” Gilda raised an eyebrow. Sunset looked over her shoulder and saw Pinkie Pie at the counter, serving a customer. The man had light green skin covered by a stiff black jacket with the initials ‘Q.C.’ written on it. His hair had spikes down the middle and a long one at his forehead, which was somehow adorable, probably due to how tiny it was. Pinke gave a big smile, but Sunset could tell that it was much smaller, and had less energy behind it. The last thing Pinkie probably wanted was to see Sunset again, after the entire Anon-A-Miss debacle. “Word of advice. Get better friends.” Gilda remarked out of nowhere. Sunset looked back at the bully, stunned at the sudden comment. Gilda was looking down at the snow, scratching her white hair. “Friends should be there through thick and thin. They should help you when you are at your lowest …” Gilda looked off at the distance, her head supported by her hands. “Through thick and thin until the end of time.” Sunset looked down at her scone, and closed her eyes. She considered the girl’s advice, and a part of her told her to follow it. To ditch the five girls she had once called family, to move on, and become a loner. Maybe she could transfer schools, and find another group to call family. But the other side told her that she wouldn’t be a good friend then because they stuck together, even when things went bad, because if they were friends, they would eventually reconcile. “I can’t give up on them.” Sunset looked up at Gilda, and saw the girl look up in surprise. “They did abandon me, but …if I abandon them …then I am no better am I.” “Were you ever friends in the first place?” Gilda raised an eyebrow. “Because you were quite a piece of work in the past. If that Twilight Sparkle didn’t help you, they would never have gotten close to you.” Sunset felt tear start to form in her eyes. Her chest started to get heavy. She didn’t want to believe it, but the words weighed heavily on her. She couldn’t blame Gilda, anyone with two eyes could make the same assumption, but she just didn’t want to believe it. “I’ll think about it.” Sunset turned around. “I’m not Anon-A-Miss Gilda. I’ll find them, and bring them to justice.” She started to walk off. “Good luck with your sales.” Sunset walked away from the scone stand and over towards a small alleyway. She took a quick look around her surroundings to make sure nobody was looking before walking in. She walked in carefully and scanne the environment to ensure nobody was hiding in the shadows, a skill she unfortunately had to learn during her time on the streets. When she confirmed the cost was clear, she approached a dumpster, and parted some trash to the side. In the walls of the building she currently stood in between, had a lot of cracks in it. Cracks big enough to slip a small hidden camera within it. It had enough batter to last a couple of days, and she last changed it two days ago. Sunset took a bite of her scone, nearly spitting it out since it tasted so stale and bland. However, she was hungry and soldiered through it, trying her best to think of grass and hay. She took the hidden camera out of its little hiding hole and shakily removed the chip. She plugged an adaptor into her phone before inserting the chip. She watched as her phone started to download its contents, letting out a sigh of relief when the ‘complete’ sign appeared. Sunset then scrolled through her downloads and located the video before looking through it. The first few hours of recording was completely useless. It was just snow and random people. However, she knew the timeframe when her fri …former friends was in SugarCube Corner. She fastforwarded the video to that time frame and watched closely for Octavia. She passed by the time when she walked by SugarCube Corner and a bit more until the gray skinned girl finally came into view. “There you are,” Sunset muttered before fastforwarding the video when Octavia was leaving the store. “Now who could be close enough, and be at that angle to take that damn photo.” Sunset scowled. She slowly fast forwarded the video until Octavia was relatively in position of when the photo was taken. She zoomed in at the surroundings, looking for anything out of place. She squinted, trying to get any detail of where the person could be. ‘Okay Sunset. Angles, we are looking for the right angle.’ Sunset muttered to herself. She moved the focus to where the person taking the photo could reasonably be. However, it focused on where Gilda’s stand was. That couldn’t be right though, since even though Gilda was a bully, she was like a bull. She sees red and charges into it, destroying everything without much thought or reason. Sunset squinted a bit more and noticed that there was a man leaning against the stand, who looked to be talking with Gilda. She leaned forwards and noticed that his hand was placed at an odd angle. A place where someone could potentially be hiding a camera. It wasn’t much but it was a lead, and it didn’t help the mans face was obscured, and blurred. So the only way she could identify him was to … “Who is this man?!” Sunset shoved her phone up to Gilda’s face. Gilda was not amused, and stared bluntly at Sunset. “I wish I could tell, but his face is so smudged that he resembles more of a pixel than anything else.” She looked back at the camera. “Probably still looks better than you.” “A man came and talked with you yesterday. Two P.M.” Sunset pointed at the camera. “Who is he?” She demanded. “I can’t keep track of all the customers that come here.” Gilda scoffed. Sunset than rewinded the video, and fast forwarded, revealing that the man was the only one to come buy anything from the girl in the entire three days. “I’m sure you can jog your memory based on the fact that he was the only one who bought your shitty scones.” Sunset took another bite of the scone she bought and forced it down her throat. “For a shitty scone, you look to be fine with it.” “I’m fine with it because I have to.” Sunset pointed at the video again. “Tell me who he is!” “Or what?” Gilda leaned forwards. “Post something on Anon-A-Miss?” “I’m not fucking ANON-A-MISS?!” Sunset roared, getting the attention of the crowd. She took in deep breaths before taking out her wallet and ruffling through her cash. She took twenty dollars and placed it on the counter. “How much?” “For what?” “To tell me who this man is?” Sunset scowled as she took another bite of the scone. Gilda grimaced and pushed the money back towards Sunset. “It’s nobody.” “Thirty dollars.” “It’s just some random person. Why are you so obsessed with him?” Gilda scoffed. “Fifty dollars.” “I’m sure you can find someone in your life. You’re pretty, plenty of boys would like you.” Gilda smirked, but Sunset could see that it was half-hearted. “One hundred dollars.” “Do you even have a hundred dollars?” “What do you want?!” Sunset finally exclaimed before taking a deep breath. She breathed in and out multiple times, the exercise Princess Celestia had taught her to do when she was feeling exasperated. “Listen. I really need to know who this man it …please.” She begged. Gilda rolled her eyes. “Why do you even want to know who this guy is?” “Because he is my only lead to finding out who Anon-A-Miss is.” Gilda paused as if processing what Sunset was saying. “Why do you think so?” “Because he was here when the last post from Anon-A-Miss was taken,” Sunset explained. “Please Gilda …I am not Anon-A-Miss.” She covered her face with her hands before parting her hair. Gilda scoffed but finally let out a heavy sigh. “Listen. The man is one of the only friends I have in this city okay? He likes his privacy, is very shy, and is a good dude.” She finally explained. “I promised him I won’t give him trouble, and he is really good at listening to others.” Sunset pushed herself off the scone stand. “I just want to ask him a few questions. I won’t shake him down.” She promised. “You just missed him. He passed by you, and you didn’t even notice.” Gilda finally mumbled. “What?” Sunset looked around. “But how?” “He is really good at blending into the crowds. He always comes with a group.” Gilda smirked as she walked over towards SugarCube Corner. “Best I introduce you to him, so he doesn’t bolt. He’s real skittish.” The girl explained. “I’ll be sure to be careful,” Sunset assured as she followed closely behind Gilda. “Why did you make Anon-A-Miss?” Gilda stopped at the front of SugarCube Corner. Sunset did a double-take as Gilda turned around to take a good look at the girl. “It’s only bringing you pain and misery, why not just stop?” “I am not Anon-A-Miss. Those days are past me. In fact, I am trying to hunt them down.” Sunset scowled, feeling a bit insulted. She spent months trying her best to claw her way to become a better person only for it to be thrown in her face. “Why do you people keep on insisting it’s me?” “Because the whole blackmail and making an example of others was something you did before.” Gilda shrugged her shoulders. “It just seemed to fit your style.” Sunset clenched her teeth. “I promise you, I wouldn’t make my profile picture a silhouette of myself with my colour scheme.” She scoffed. “I wouldn’t make it so obvious, and I’d be more subtle with my blackmail.” This caused the other girl to rub her chin, to ponder Sunset’s words. She considered it before, but when the blackmail started it seemed to validate all suspicions against Sunset, however even that seemed a bit to blatant and obvious. “That is true …” Was all Gilda managed to say. “I am curious about one thing though …” Sunset muttered as she looked to the side. “About what?” Gilda raised an eyebrow. “When I was being beaten up before the blackmail incident …why didn’t you join in.” Sunset looked up at Gilda, staring the girl in the eyes. “Why did you hold back?” Gilda let out a heavy sigh and turned back to the door of SugarCube Corner. “I’m trying to work an honest job. I’m reaching adulthood, I can’t make any more mistakes.” The girl closed her eyes. “I’m already on probation, any wrong move and I have a one-way ticket to jail. That is why I am selling Scones.” The girl then looked into the cafe in front of the two, but her focus was somewhere else. “I made a promise …to try to straighten my life …and it’ll be a cold day in hell when I break it.” Gilda said softly before her expression turned somber. “If I somehow met him again, I wouldn’t be able to look him in the eye if I broke my promise.” “Oh …I didn’t know.” Sunset mumbled. “Also I may have gotten some inspiration from you.” Gilda muttered sheepishly. Sunset raised an eyebrow and Gilda caught it. “We were two of the worst of the school back then weren’t we …?” The girl continued. Sunset nodded and gave a small smile. “Yeah …” She whispered. “We sure were.” “But then you turned your life and attitude around.” Gilda explained before snapping her fingers. “Just like that …you just shifted gears …” The girl shook her head. “I may have been the worst but you were a demon back then.” Gilda chuckled. Sunset rolled her eyes. “Wow …thanks.” She said in monotone. Gilda shrugged. “It was true.” Her stance than shifted, her mouth opening as she tried to figure out how she was feeling and how to place it into words. “But you were able to change …and I still had that promise to the kid so I thought …fuck it.” Gilda let out a small sigh. “I was inspired a bit.” She let out a small chuckle. “So was Diamond Tiara …” She closed her eyes. “Why did you throw it away? You changing your way had inspired a lot of people and now so much has been cast into doubt.” “I’m not Anon-A-Miss.” Sunset wiped her eyes and sniffed. “I keep on telling everyone.” “I hope so.” Gilda nodded before she turned towards Sunset. “Word of advice …” Gilda sighed. “Stop Anon-A-Miss.” She raised a hand up, stopping Sunset before she could get a word out. “Whether or not you are or not her …put an end to it.” Sunset took in a deep breath and looked Gilda in the eyes. “I promise.” She raised an eyebrow. “Princesses honor. Is that sufficient?” Gilda let out a sharp huff and bobbed her head a bit. “Yeah. Yeah I guess it is.” She gave Sunset a small pat on the back. “I’m going to be honest though, liked you a bit better in your queen bitch phase before Anon-A-Miss and its underhandedness. Made you look badass.” “Really?” Sunset raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure it isn’t just stockholm syndrome?” “I don’t know what that means, but yeah sure.” Gilda shrugged before she opened the door to the cafe. Gilda and Sunset walked in causing Pinkie Pie to jump in front of the counter with a small bounce. Sunset paused as she took a good look at Pinkie Pie. She was wearing her usual purple skirt which had balloons sewn on it, blue shoes, and a blue shirt with a big heart in the middle. Seeing her so happy made her smile a bit, but the memory of her being a ‘secret stealer’ weighed on her mind. It made her grimace, and caused her chest to grow heavy, as she held back her emotions to the best she could. She was going to solve this, but if she did, she would have to keep her cool. “Evening Pinkie.” Gilda greeted. “Hey there Gilda? What can I get y-?” Pinkie Pie paused as she finally noticed Sunset. “Sunset?” Pinkie’s smile disappear, only to be replaced by a sad frown. She looked close to tears which broke Sunset’s heart. “I’ll be here only for a minute Pinkie.” Sunset looked down at the ground. “Then I will be out of your hair.” Sunset turned to walk into the corner of the store where the tables were, but felt a hand grasp her by the shoulder. “Sunset wait.” Sunset turned to see Pinkie behind her, with a sorrowful expression, eyes full of regret. “I’m …c-can we talk?” She asked. Sunset stood there, not sure what to say before her mouth decided for her. “Yeah sure …but I’m in a bit of a hurry here.” She looked at Gilda who just shrugged her shoulders and leaned against the counter. She took some candy out of the dispenser and started munching on it. There was a second of silence. “I-I am not …you see …I d-don’t want to stay …mad at you.” Pinkie finally admitted, her shoulder sagging. Sunset held back tears and tried to force her face from falling and letting out weeks of sadness onto the girl. “I know that …there is no excuse …” Pinkie looked to the side. “I should have been there for you …we all should have.” “What do you mean?” Sunset asked. “Friends …support each other. They also stop each other from making mistakes, from taking the wrong path …and to pull each other from dark places.” Pinkie muttered as she rubbed her neck. “I just …wish I was there for you.” Sunset shook her head. “I don’t blame you.” Thought that part was kind of a lie. After saving everyone at the battle of the bands, she hoped that the students …that her friends would trust her from then on. However, after Anon-A-Miss, they threw her to the wolves. “All the evidence pointed to me.” Sunset shrugged. “And I had a history of doing such things.” She looked down at the ground, noticing the nice tilework of the store. “Humans desire simple answers to simple problems …” Before she could finish, Pinkie grasped her hands and squeezed it. “But we’re your friends!” Pinkie sobbed. “We should have been better.” The pink skinned girl wiped her eyes. “I was so angry at you …like everyone else. I wanted someone to blame, someone easy because …because we needed a culprit …a villain.” Pinkie Pie’s face continued to fall as tears streamed from her eyes, faster than she could wipe them. “But after a while, I couldn’t bear it anymore …living in constant rage and anger …I began to think.” “You’re only eighteen.” Sunset smiled. “It’s part of the deal.” She pat Pinkie on the shoulder. “But I should have been better. I’m the element of laughter for crying out loud!” Pinkie grasped Sunset’s sleeves. “I should have noticed how miserable you were earlier …how you took all of their hate …and just accepted it.” The girl scrunched up her face. “I should have been better.” “It’s okay.” Sunset tried to use an upbeat tone, but her voice betrayed her true feelings as it trembled. Her eyes began to water and fill with tears of relief and joy that someone finally was speaking to her in a non-accusatory tone. “It’s not!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Anon-A-Miss has made your life hell and what the other kids do to you …” She began, pausing in the middle. The graffiti, the fights, the jeering and the accusations …she remembered them all. She remembered stewing in her rage, and in her anger, while at the same time feeling as if the entire world was crushing her. She wanted anyone to believe she wasn’t Anon-A-Miss, and though Gilda was the first, she would have preferred her closest friends to be the ones backing her. She could take anything the world threw at her, as long as her friends had her back, but without them, she felt like reeds in a tornado. “I believe you.” Pinkie finally muttered. “You aren’t Anon-A-Miss.” “But what about the blackmail, the sabotage? They all benefited me.” “Benefits you never wanted. Sabotage you never would have done to others, and harm you never would have wished upon others.” Pinkie sobbed. “I thought about it, and I am sure. I know you, and you aren’t that person.” Sunset felt close to tears, finally hearing that one of five finally believed her. Weeks of chasing leads, looking for clues to Anon-A-Miss didn’t matter compared to hearing Pinkie declare her trust of Sunset. She hugged Pinkie, causing the girl to recoil in surprise, but after a second, she returned the gesture. Sunset let out a sob as tears finally began to fall, pressure falling off her shoulders and chests. They were like that for a good minute before Gilda approached them, and pried them apart. “I like that all the feelings are out …but we are on a schedule.” She reminded as Pinkie wiped her tears. Sunset did the same and nodded. “Yes. The lead.” “I don’t think Thor is Anon-A-Miss; he is too skittish.” Gilda explained. Sunset nodded again in affirmation. “I am not saying that I believe you, but if he is then …” Gilda paused and pat Sunset on her shoulder. “Listen, I am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt ….” Sunset did a small double-take. “Why?” Gilda rubbed the back of her head. “Well, you just sounded so genuine …and you didn’t try to blackmail me to help… and after what Pinkie said …” She let out a small raspberry. “Okay …I may be a bit dense …but it made sense.” She put a finger up in front of her. “One chance though.” “Thank you Gilda. I won’t waste it.” Sunset hugged Gilda, though the tall girl pushed Sunset off. “I don’t do emotions very well.” Gilda blushed. “Let’s just question Thor and get it over with.” She remarked. “Thor? Is he your lead?” Pinkie asked Sunset as they both followed Gilda to a table in the back of the cafe. “Yes. The closest I have had these past few week.” Sunset admitted. “I have been tracking every post, placed cameras all over the city in hotspots.” She let out a heavy sigh. “They were very careful to not stuck around in an area for too long. Guess they got sloppy.” Gilda, Sunset, and Pinkie stopped in front of a table which sat a lime skinned man with a black jacket. The initals ‘Q.C.’ was engraved on the back of the man’s very stiff jacket. “Can I help you?” The man asked before he noticed Gilda. “Gilda? What is this about?” He asked. “These two have some questions for you.” Gilda put her hands out before the man could get a word of protest out. “They won’t harm you. I trust them. I know you want to stay out of trouble, and you will, I promise.” The burly girl reassured. She gestured at the man. “Thor is all yours.” Sunset nodded and sat in front of Thor. The man was visibly sweating, and his eyes were shaking, jittering as it moved from one location to another. He shakily grabbed his fork and took a bite out from his cup of mint ice cream. His feet were tapping, Sunset could hear his heart pounding from the other side of the table, and she could swear he could even be hyperventilating. “Thor. I have some questions for you.” Sunset put on her most serious face, and glared at the man. “I don’t have to answer anything!” Thor quickly declared. “I want my rights! I plead the fifth.” The man looked away towards another table. “This isn’t a court. I just want answers.” Sunset put a stern face on before she pushed her phone towards the man. She moved the screen to the Anon-A-Miss profile and pointed at the post. “You recognize anything?” Thor simply averted his eyes, finding the floor to suddenly be of great interest to him. “No. I recognize nothing.” Gilda looked over at Sunset’s phone at the post being pointed at. “Hold on. That’s Octavia.” She muttered before grabbing Sunset’s phone. She looked out the window at her scone stand and pointed at it. “At that angle …” Gilda started. “The angle is from your scone stand.” Sunset glared at Thor. “And was at that exact time.” “It could be Gilda!” Thor suddenly exclaimed. Gilda had an expression of shock and betrayal before slamming Sunset’s phone on the table. “Are you serious?” She whispered dangerously. Thor whimpered as he cowered and slunk deeper into his seat. “Answers …now. And the truth!” Sunset shouted. “Yeah! What she said!” Pinkie huffed before crossing her arms. Thor was now hyperventilating as his entire body shook. “Okay, okay …I’ll tell you everything just …” He looked around the cafe. Everyone else followed and noticed that the scene they were causing was getting the attention of the other patrons. "I just take the photos; who Anon-A-Miss is, you'll have to find out by yourself." Sunset followed his gaze and noticed that one of the patrons had a huge tub of ice cream sitting in front of him. If that wasn’t strange enough, the woman’s attire consisted of a thick brown coat over an orange sweater which did little to hide her massive belly. Thick black sunglasses covered her eyes which she adjusted constantly as if they were uncomfortable. What was even stranger were the other patrons of the diner. Sunset realized that some of them had the same attire as Thor. Black jackets and lime-colored skin accompanied by spiky haircuts, and they were all staring at her. Thor leaned forward and put his mouth close to Sunset’s ear. “Listen, miss …” “Shimmer.” Sunset felt a chill up her spine as one of the black jacket patrons got up from their table. They made their way to another table with a thick wad of cash. They dumped the cash onto the table of a couple who were also eating and started speaking. She couldn’t tell what the man was saying, but his look-alikes started to get up as well and walk towards other tables. “Shimmer. Listen. Some things are bigger than you.” Thor explained. “Just drop this case, and walk away.” The man gave a half-hearted smile. “I have a bad feeling about this.” Gilda muttered as she also started to notice what was happening around them. Sunset turned back to Thor and clenched her teeth. “Just tell me what is your connection with Anon-A-Miss.” Thor let out a sigh. “Listen …I’m sorry but …” The man was suddenly interrupted as an orange sweater woman shoved Pinkie and Gilda to the side. The patron grabbed Thor and tossed him aside before taking his place in the seat. “Apologies for that.” The orange-sweetened woman said, brushing and wiping her hands on her jacket. Sunset noticed that the other patrons of the cafe were being led out by the other back-jacketed individuals. They all looked to be part of a gang, a very strange one, but one nonetheless. “Now. To business.” The woman wiped her mouth. “I hear you are looking into Anon-A-Miss.” She took in a sharp inhale of air. “Impressive you got this far. Most people give up at this point.” “Most people?” Sunset raised an eyebrow as she saw Gilda and Pinkie shifting uncomfortably as they were slowly surrounded by the strange woman’s friends. One of them had flipped the ‘open’ sign to ‘closed’ on the shop door and had cut the lights. “After Anon-A-Miss started to spread to encompass the entire city’s residents …it got the attention of some reporters.” The woman let out a small chuckle. “Brave bastards as well …like you.” Gilda and Pinkie were looking around the cafe, probably for a place to escape. The severity of the situation was not lost on them. It was seven against the three of them, they had little chance of getting out of this unscathed. “What do you want?” Sunset growled as she glared at the woman. The woman gestured for one of her men to come up. She was handed a briefcase which looked to be very heavy. She placed the briefcase onto the table and opened it up revealing it to be filled to the brim with cash. “I’ll give you ten million dollars to forget about Anon-A-Miss and leave it all behind.” The woman raised an eyebrow. “Pretty good deal is it not?” She asked. Sunset sat there, as she looked at the pile of cash in front of her. The woman closed the briefcase and pushed it towards her. When she first came to this world, she didn’t have much money to her name, and this amount of money was almost unthinkable. To raise enough money to live in the human world, she had to work all sorts of odd jobs, get in touch with many shady people, and claw her way up. Ten million dollars was a luxury when she lived in an abandoned warehouse, forced to siphon off electricity from the main power grid. She tidied up the area pretty well and actually started to call it home until it was bought by a company called ChangeData. Then she had to move because people started to poke around. She grasped the briefcase and flipped it up on its side. There was a logo etched on it which read ‘ChangeData’ with a green symbol right next to it. “Sunset …” Pinkie started. Sunset turned to face the girl, and saw an expression of concern and fear upon her face. “I don’t know what is going on …I never have with all this magic stuff …but I trust you.” Pinkie shook. “Also don’t think about going back on the promise.” The woman in front of Sunset chuckled. “We will know, and if you do, you’ll wish you were dead.” She sneered. Sunset closed her eyes and let out a sigh. She felt fear and doubt about what she was about to do. She was surrounded and given a way out with a hefty reward, it was tempting, and that amount of money could make her life a bit more bearable even with all the ostracization at school. “ChangeData huh?” Sunset finally asked. “Yeah? What about it?” “You work together?” She questioned. “So what?” The woman took Thor’s ice cream and started to take bites from it. “You have beef with them or something?” “The same ChangeData who owns the warehouse where the murders happened near?” Sunset asked. “You know, the one from today.” The woman seemed to freeze right there in her seat. “It’s a very popular company.” She sneered. “What about it?” Sunset shrugged. “Well that is true. But you basically confirmed you work for Anon-A-Miss and that you silence reporters.” She narrowed her eyes. “Also I have my phone perpetually on record any time I leave the house.” She raised an eyebrow. “I think that’ll be enough for the cops.” In hindsight, suddenly piecing things together right in front of the person who may be the culprit didn’t seem to be a good idea. She looked to the side and saw every one of the men surrounding them tense up, all with scowl’s on their faces. “Pity …” The woman started, getting up from her seat. Unfortunately she didn’t get to finish that sentence before Sunset beat her over the head with the very heavy briefcase. It was heavy enough to put a dent in her head, causing blood and bone to erupt from the wound. The woman howled in pain as Gilda turned around and punched one of the men behind her. One of the men grappled Pinkie, but Sunset jumped to the rescue and punched him in the face with a loud crack. His face broke open causing him to recoil in pain, letting Pinkie go. “Sunset! Behind you!” Pinkie exclaimed as one of the men came at Sunset with a knife. She ducked under the knife strike before grabbing the arm and twisting it around. Gilda kicked another goon in the jaw, causing him to fall to the ground. Thor had bolted out of the cafe and down the street as far from the cafe as possible. “Thorax you piece of shit!” One of the men shouted. “Come back here and help-” Was all the man got out before Pinkie grabbed a tray and broke it over his head. “Useless pieces of garbage!” Sunset heard the orange sweatered woman roar. She looked over to see her sitting back up, the wound on her head slowly beginning to regrow. “Kill them!” She roared as she started to shift. Her clothing ripped off, revealing her light purple skin which extended out like a warm, her large stomach opening up to reveal a large maw in the middle. The woman’s face became warped, with a single hateful eye in the middle, and a mouth with sharp teeth, which dripped green liquid, like the maw in his stomach. “Everyone run!” Sunset shouted as she got the knife out from the other man’s grip before stabbing him in the knee. The two last men stood there, seemingly unsure what to do as before Sunset tossed the briefcase into one of them. The last man just stood there, his jaw agape as Sunset, Gilda, and Pinkie ran out of the cafe. “Gilda, do you have a car?!” Sunset asked. “Yes, why?” “Can you draw some of them away? Also get the cops!” Sunset snapped. “No need to tell me twice!” Gilda ran off towards a parking lot down the sidewalk. “Pinkie, do you have a ride?!” “No …my siblings are too busy, and my parents are probably asleep by now.” Pinkie explained quickly as the black-jacket men stumbled out of the cafe. “Then quickly, get on the back of my bike!” Sunset ran towards her orange bike, her heart pounding. It was parked in a nearby parking lot which wasn’t far, but far enough that it was a length run. She looked over her shoulder to see the very angry men chasing after them, excluding the orange-sweatered woman, which meant she either gave up, or was chasing after Gilda. Sunset got to her bike and quickly started it up as Pinkie got onto the back. “Hold on tight!” She warned before starting up the engine. They drove off, just before the group could catch up to them. They drove off in the night and away from the parking lot as quickly as possible until the lot was nothing but a speck behind them. Pinkie was holding onto her tight enough to the point Sunset felt as if she was going to snap in half. “Are they gone?!” Sunset asked through the roar of the engines as they sped down the road, making different turns to lose them if they had vehicles. This was to potentially confuse their chasers and eventually make them lose sight, and potentially even give up. However, this brought them to the rough area of town, where many of the recent murders occurred. It also didn’t help that there were many abandoned buildings and businesses surrounding the area. “I don’t see them …!” Pinkie shouted. Sunset let out a sigh of relief, but it was interrupted as loud buzzing got closer from above. She looked up to see black specks in the sky, and they looked to be following them, closely behind. “What the hell?” Sunset muttered before one of the specks dove down suddenly. “Shit!” She exclaimed as she swerved out of the way. The speck slammed into the street, and for a brief second she saw what it was. It was in the shape of a large bug with multiple legs, a black carapace, and with green glowing eyes. That was all she could discern from its face planted position in the half a second she saw it. “What was that?!” Pinkie cried out as they drove down the road. Sunset replied by pushing her bike to go much faster, and though they went clear over the speed limit, whatever was chasing them was more dangerous than road safety. Another bug suddenly dove from the sky and grasped onto the bike with its claws. It hissed at Sunset as it grappled with her, its jaws clicking as it tried to bite her head off. Sunset tried to push it off with one hand while steering with the other, causing the bike to begin swerving. “What the hell is going on?!” Sunset exclaimed as she started to make sharper turns around corners to hopefully shake some of them off. It didn’t seem to work since they would just fly over the buildings and then catch up to them. She finally got the creature off her bike by slamming it into a wall, splattering green blood all over her and Pinkie. “What are we going to do?!” Pinkie cried out. “I have an idea! But it’s risky!” Sunset shouted as she made a sharp turn towards the warehouse district. Her heart pounded nearly as fast as Pinkie’s as adrenaline pumped through her veins as she tried not to imagine what the creatures above them was planning. She drove further, the buildings around them becoming more decrepit the further they went. “Where are we going?” Pinkie asked as they weaved through the small roads. Sunset could hear the girl’s desperation and fear causing guilt to creep up her spine. She didn’t mean for Pinkie to get involved in her investigation, but it seemed as if she found trouble wherever she went. “An old maneuver I learned!” Sunset shouted. “Hold on!” “What?” Pinkie cried out with clear confusion before Sunset swerved into a small alleyway. “Hold on!” Was all Sunset could respond with as she slowly weaved her bike through the narrow passageways. Pinkie let out a cry of fear as she hugged Sunset’s chest tighter, making it much harder for her to breathe. She burst out of the alleyway and drove straight towards a construction site. Pinkie screamed as the bike burst through the gate. Sunset quickly jerked the bike to the side, and hit the brakes, causing it to screech and come to a stop right in front of a metal beam. She could feel the girl behind her breathe heavily and sob, which made her feel guilty, since after this, Pinkie would probably never want to ride a motorcycle ever again. “Did we lose them?” Pinkie asked right before there was a loud clang right above them. A black insect-like creature fell to the ground, collapsing into a heap. It let out a groan right before another one fell right next to it. Sunset immediately jumped onto them, kicking one and knocking it unconscious, and grappling the other. The creature let out a cough and a shriek as she lifted it up off the ground, finding it surprisingly light. “Who are you creatures and what do you want?!” She roared. “We’re changeling!” The creature gasped. “I don’t know anything, I just work for them.” It continued to struggle, but Sunset just clenched her jaw, a feeling of determination washed over her along with confidence now that she had the upper hand. “Why are you working for that thing?!” “I don’t know!” The creature grasped her arm. “We are just contracted out as guards from ChangeData. We are mercenaries …we have no allegiance except to our queen!” It explained. Sunset sneered. “So you know nothing?” “I’m just a drone …we are expendable and know nothing …even if we did we wouldn’t be able to tell you!” The creature gasped. Sunset rolled her eyes, demoralized that the moment she had someone to interrogate, they either run off, or know absolutely nothing. She dropped the creature before kicking it in the skull, knocking it out. Sunset rubbed her head before muttering, “At least I know ChangeData has something to do with this …for some reason.” “At least we’re safe now.” Pinkie sighed. Sunset was about to return the sentiment until she heard static coming from the creature. She leaned forwards and found that it was coming from an earpiece. She lifted it up and listened in on the conversation being had there. [Useless morons!] [Hey, we’re just here as backup!] [What’s the point if you can’t even catch two girls! Whatever. Irons is calling a meeting for all the wendigos in the warehouse district. Her bodyguard will meet us there] [What about the reporter?] [We’ll deal with her later. I remember her face. I’ll go ask Zelus to find her for me. Besides, we have one of her friends. I think this is the one, she is feisty.] “Gilda.” She muttered. “What was that Sunset?” Pinkie asked, approaching her from behind. Sunset turned around, fear and guilt gripping her heart. Gilda was caught, probably by diverting the others away from her and Pinkie. She had dragged the girl into this mess, and now she was captured, and from what it sounded like, the captors had plans for her. “Gilda was captured.” Sunset turned to face Pinkie. “She’s been taken into the warehouse district.” Pinkie covered her mouth. “We have to call the police.” “I agree.” Sunset muttered. She walked over towards her bike. “I’ll go get her, you call the police.” She said before getting onto the vehicle. “What?! No!” Pinkie protested, her face becoming determined and stern. “I’m not letting you go out there and put yourself in danger, not alone at least.” She argued. “Pinkie. I don’t have time to argue with you here.” Sunset clenched her teeth. “I am from a world which is familiar with magic, if you come, you’ll be putting yourself in unnecessary danger.” “I’m not afraid.” Pinkie declared, despite her shaking limbs and trembling voice. Sunset could see she was trying to put on a brave front, trying to pretend she wasn’t fazed. “Friends are there for each other. We went through the sirens together, we can go through this as well.” Sunset let out a sigh. She knew Pinkie could be stubborn, but also didn’t want to put the girl in any more danger. So, taking in the entire situation, she finally came to a decision. “Okay. But first we need to get to the police station and inform them what is occurring. That way we don’t get into any more danger ourselves. ” “Okay. I’m fine with that.” Pinkie said excitedly as she hopped onto the back of the bike. “What about these two?” She asked, pointing at the two unconscious bug creatures on the ground. “I was able to take them down with a punch. They’re not a threat.” Sunset muttered before she started up the bike again. She drove out of the construction site and onto the road towards the police station. The entire ride, her mind was on the entire week leading up to this event. She had been looking into the Anon-A-Miss the entire time, trying to determine who it could be. She had a list of suspects, of people who it could be, but she was never able to pin it down. One of the three suspects she had originally pinned down was the Canterlot Movie Club, but she remembered phones could be hacked via wifi. Anon-A-Miss also acted too smart for the three, planning ahead, and making a decent frame job. They arrived at the police station shortly, and Sunset stopped her bike on the curb. She took off her helmet and gestured at the building. “Quickly, go.” She ordered Pinkie. The girl nodded and hopped off the bike and into the station. “Sorry about this Pinkie.” Sunset muttered as she started up the bike again. “But there isn’t enough time. I’m sure you’ll forgive me.” “Hey Sunset. What do I …?” Pinkie turned around and started only to see Sunset driving off. “Sunset!” The girl cried out, fear suddenly gripping her as she ran out after Sunset. She couldn’t catch up and could only watch as the bike drove off into the distance towards the warehouse district. “Sunset, why?” Pinkie sobbed before turning around and quickly running into the station. Sunset sped up as she ignored all traffic safety laws to get as fast to the warehouse district as possible. She sped past all the cars, getting many to honk as her, but right now, her mind was focused on getting to Gilda as fast as possible. She didn’t have any time to spare, and every second wasted could be a crucial one. She was going to save the girl …even if the cost was her own life. Witchblade She only began to slow down when the warehouse district and the canal around it came into view. She remembered reading on the news which ones were bought by ChangeData. It was a big thing for a company to buy some rundown buildings out of nowhere. It meant more business for the area, but it was also strange enough to warrant some suspicion. As she drove down the road, she came into view of the ChangeData warehouses, and noticed that one of them had their lights on. That, and she saw Gilda’s car parked there. The same one Gilda had run towards when they were being chased. It was very hard to miss, and the decay of the vehicle made it very distinguishable from the rest. Quietly as possible, Sunset got off her bike and made her way around the warehouse. She looked around and noticed a pipe leading to an open window. Taking in a deep breath, she climbed up the pipe, trying to make as little noise as possible. The closer she got to the window however, the louder certain voices got. When she made it to the window and through it onto a platform, the voices became more distinguished. She recognized one of the voices, since it came from the man with the orange sweater, whatever creature he was. “ …witchblade this witchblade that.” She heard the man grumble. Sunset walked over towards one of the railings and looked down to see what looked to be a halloween party. She took out her phone and snapped a picture of the entire group below her in case she made it out of the warehouse alive. On the ground floor stood four individuals in front of a masked woman. The four consisted of a woman whose skin looked to be that of porcelain. Her armor was shaped to look like a suit which had what looked to be medals adorned upon them. She stood up tall, towering over everyone, with rainbow irises which glared at everyone, as if daring anyone to oppose her. The second was a woman whose face was in a permanent scowl. She wore a dress which had many belts, laces, and gems, making her look like a Victorian era lady who decided to put on anything that seemed to be remotely fashionable upon her clothing. Her skin was green and looked oily, her eyes were red and was filled with anger and contempt. The third was slumped forwards with a stoic expression upon her face. She was dressed modestly, her clothes being a plain gray and consisted of a simple shirt, and a pair of gray sweatpants. Her skin was the color of ash, and seemed to sag under its own weight. She looked forwards, staring off into nothing, looking more of a statue than anything else. The fourth was of course the woman Sunset met at the cafe. She was now back to a more humanoid looking figure. She was an overweight, light purple coloured woman whose face bulged out like drawing, obscuring it. Her jacket and sweater stretched to compensate for her large mass as she lumbered around the room. “Where are the other three?” The masked woman asked. Her purple hair flowed out from behind, covering the shoulders of her jade coloured vest. She wore purple leggings with knee pads with a sword on her back, and a pistol attached to her waist. “Midas is off scamming another hapless fellow. Khan is probably killing another puppy to satiate his massive childish grudge against anything that breathes oxygen. Ishtar is probably trying to be as depraved as possible. It is only us four today.” The porcelain man explained. “Why have you called us here today?” The stoic woman asked. “What is so important to demand a meeting here?” “Queen Chrysalis is getting impatient. She asked me and my sisters why her cousins were …and I quote … ‘faffing about and getting nothing done’ and wished for a report.” “It’s going fine.” The oily skinned woman sneered. “What does she know? Does she think she’s better than us?!” The woman roared, her expression suddenly turning wrathful. “This is why nobody likes you Zelus. You are always bitter.” The ash skinned woman said without a hint of emotion in her voice. “Shut the hell up Hypnos.” “Whatever.” “I require a full report by the end of the day, otherwise Chrysalis pulls out of this little alliance and does the project on her own, and you know how she is.” The masked woman explained curtly. Her voice was stern and had a bit of swing to it. It sounded familiar, but different enough that Sunset couldn’t pin down who it belonged to. “For now …I heard Ninkasi ran into some issues.” The overweight woman grumbled as he stepped forward. “A reporter is onto us. She knows about Anon-A-Miss.” She let out a growl. “Couldn’t pay her off, and now she knows ChangeData is part of this.” “This is unfortunate Ninkasi.” The masked woman shook her head. “Another mess I have to clean up. What is this girl’s name?” “Didn’t catch her name if it was mentioned.” Ninkasi mumbled. “If the drones weren’t so useless we would’ve had her.” “Probably because you were drunk out of your mind.” Hypnos said bluntly. “I can smell the alcohol radiating off you.” “I also heard that you didn’t fare much well either. Your head was cracked by a briefcase. One made by ChangeData, but a briefcase nonetheless.” The masked woman shook her head. “You have indulged yourself too much. You have grown too fat, too lethargic. You can barely fight anymore.” “Hey. At least I have something!” Ninkasi snapped her fingers. Two drones appeared from the background with a girl in their arms. Sunset leaned forwards and saw that it was Gilda, with a defiant expression on her face, but she could see the girl was shaking a bit. Sunset made her way towards a staircase and slowly made her way down and weaved her way through the warehouse. Her legs shook as she tried to think of a way to bust Gilda out of the situation they were both in. From what she saw, they were outnumbered and outmatched. “Is this the host for the witchblade you said over the radio?” The woman questioned. “Yes. This is the one. I am sure of it.” Ninkasi laughed. “I sensed a large magic presence around her. She must be the one.” “Are you sure it came from her or just around her?” The woman asked. Ninkasi recoiled back and rubbed the back of her head. “There was a magical presence.” “Come follow me.” The woman growled. Sunset looked over the crates and boxes and saw the group walking off. She slowly tailed behind them, following them all the way into a backroom. She slowly approached the backroom, looking around the area to ensure nobody would see her before inching her way towards the door. She peeked through and saw that it looked to be some sort of office. A very large, fancy office which looked more like a throne room. What was most notable was a silver gauntlet with gems adorned on it. There was a red gem on top of it with a smaller yellowstone next to it at where the knuckles were. A third blue gem was all the way in the back near the top of the gauntlet. The masked woman and the four creatures stood there as the drones pushed Gilda forward. “Go on. Touch the gauntlet.” The purple haired woman gestured towards the pedestal. “And if I tell you to get fucked?” Gilda sneered. The orange haired woman snapped her finger, and the purple haired woman pulled out a pistol and aimed it at Gilda. Gilda shivered but stuck her hand out towards the gauntlet and placed it near before stopping. She looked up at the masked woman before asking, “What does it do?” “If it accepts you, you will gain unfathomable power.” The woman simply answered. “And if not?” “Best to not think about it.” She gestured towards the gauntlet. “Please.” Gilda scoffed. “Not that I have much of a choice.” Sunset watched as Gilda stuck her arm into the gauntlet. In a split second, the gauntlet began to glow, with sparks of energy sparking off it. The girl let out a cry of pain as her blood shot out of her hand before a large blast of energy launched her from the gauntlet and into the wall near Sunset. Sunset watched in horror at Gilda’s smoldering arm as the four monsters and the masked women looked at it without any regard for the girl. Sunset’s fear was replaced with rage as she felt power suddenly well within her. She could feel energy coursing through her veins causing a brigh horn to appear on her forehead as her hair started to rise up into the air. An amber hue enveloped her, her hair turned amber and crimson along with two small golden wings which emerged from her back. The area around her eyes, nose, and her upper lip became a ruby colour which made it look as if she was wearing a mask. “Usually it takes the arm off completely.” The purple haired woman muttered. “Still unfortunate.” She pulled out her pistol. “Bad luck kid.” The purple haired woman aimed her gun at Gilda, finger at the trigger. It was at this moment Sunset chose to act. “No!” She shouted before unleashing a large magical kinetic blast into the room. Everyone in the room barely had any time to react before four of them was knocked out through the window of the office and into the canal behind the warehouse. There was a loud splash and loud cries of anger as the four tried escape the deep canal. When the dust cleared, the only one left was the purple haired woman who was sprawled on the ground. Sunset rushed over to Gilda and helped the girl up off the ground. “Gilda, are you okay?” Sunset quickly asked as she checked the girl and her arm. Gilda’s arm had dark blue cracks from the fingers to the elbow with blood leaking from them. Other than that, the girl seemed fine. “Sunset?” Gilda whispered coarsely. “Duh.” Sunset looked at her appearance and noticed that she was now wearing a white dress and pink dress along with amber shoes. “This is new.” She muttered. “You shouldn’t have come dweeb. We’ll both die here.” Gilda groaned. “And you’ll die looking like a magical princess.” “You’re welcome.” Sunset rolled her eyes. “I won’t lie, I’m kind of glad for the company.” Gilda scoffed. Sunset noticed the purple haired woman raising a pistol up, and it was aimed right at Gilda. Thinking quickly, Sunset pushed Gilda to the side just as a loud crack echoed in the air. Three bullet ripped through Sunsets arm and stomach, causing her to fall to the ground. She reached out with her magic and threw the gun from the woman's hand out the window. The woman reached behind her and took out a sword, but Sunset summoned a blinding light from her hand. The masked woman covered her face with her arm, so Sunset took this opportunity to fire a kinetic blast. The woman was knocked back into a display case which then fell over her in a loud crash. “Gilda. You need to run!” Sunset groaned as she tried to push herself up. “Hell no. I am not leaving you.” Gilda said, grabbing Sunset, but she pushed her off. “No. I can distract them. I have magic, I can keep them at bay.” Sunset coughed up blood and shook as the pain started to make her head spin. “Besides, this was what I was looking for this entire time.” She closed her eyes. “I’m sorry that I dragged you into this.” Gilda hesitated. There was very few times in her life she felt completely helpless, and every one of those times, someone always got hurt while she stood there powerless. It was the reason why she was so obsessed with strength sometimes, so she would never be in another situation where she was at the end of her rope, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to start again. “Tell Pinkie …” Sunset started but Gilda covered her mouth. “Tell her yourself.” Gilda shook her head. “I don’t know what is going on, but if you think you can take them on just because you have some pony magic then you are dead wrong.” Gilda shuddered. “Listen …we got Anon-A-Miss. We …we can’t go before we clear your name.” Sunset smiled as she placed a hand upon the brown-skinned girl’s cheek. “You and Pinkie know the truth ….and that is enough for me.” She whispered. “It is not enough for me.” Gilda cried out in a panic. She gripped Sunset with tears in her eyes, trying her best to get some control of the situation, to stabilize it a bit. “Just …just let me do something good …do some good for someone else …for once …” Sunset looked at the girl with pity. She understood the feeling of helplessness, of being alone. But she also understood that sacrifices sometimes had to be made, to save innocent lives, and those she cared about. Every part of her wanted to run, but she was done running, and was going to face everything head on. Before she could tell Gilda to leave, and impart some last words, there was a dull squelch before a splash of red covered Gilda’s face. The girl wiped some of it off her face and looked down at her fingers. Her pupils shook as she realized it was red with blood before then forcing herself to look down at Sunset’s chest. A blade had pierced through Sunset’s heart. Blood dripped from the wound, covering Sunset and Gilda in blood as the two of them tried to process what just happened. It happened so suddenly, neither of them were able to move until Sunset was thrown to the side like a ragdoll into the display where the gauntlet was. “Brave! But foolish.” The masked woman remarked as she looked down at Sunset. “A valiant effort …shame it was wasted.” She pointed her blade, which was now covered in blood, at Gilda, ignoring Sunset who was now bleeding out on the floor. Sunset saw Gilda standing there, grasping her injured arm, backed up to the wall. Her uninjured fist was clenched and stared the masked woman directly and looked prepared to strike the woman in front of her. Sunset knew Gilda stood no chance, especially due to her injury. “Gilda …” Sunset gasped weakly as she concentrated magic into her left hand. “I’m sorry.” “Before we die. For what it’s worth …I’m sorry for thinking you were Anon-A-Miss.” Gilda scowled as the masked woman stood there, as if listening to their last words. “At least I die standing.” “Valiant last words.” The masked woman remarked before she raised her blade up to strike Gilda. “I respect a fellow warrior.” “No …” Sunset gasped. “I’m sorry for this.” “What do you …” Gilda’s eyes widened as Sunset lifted her hands towards the girl. “Sunset wait!” Was all Gilda could get out before a red aura enveloped her. She lunged towards Sunset, as if trying to save her, but never got the chance before she blipped away. Right after, the masked woman swung downwards which would have cut Gilda in half. “No!” The masked woman roared as she turned towards Sunset. In a rage, she cut Sunset’s left arm off before kicking the girl down. Sunset didn’t even have time to register in the pain before crashing hard into the wall behind her. Her magical form dissipated returning her back to her normal clothes and form as the horn on her forehead slowly dissolved. “What the hell?” The masked woman snarled as she walked over towards where Gilda disappeared. “Where did she go?!” “It’s over Anon-A-Miss.” Sunset gasped …unaware of the tendril coming out of the gauntlet that was slowly inching its way towards her. “I’ve won …” “You’ve won nothing!” The masked woman snapped. Sunset smirked as she felt her mind began to drift away. She never thought this was the way she would die, but in a way she was kind of glad. Weeks of fighting made her tired, and she went out her own way, saving others, and uncovering secrets. “Can I …at least know …who you are …before I die?” Sunset coughed as blood started to pool around her. Her pony ears and tail faded away, now all the magic concentrated within her chest, trying to keep her alive as long as possible. She had a good minute before bleeding out, even with the last remnants of her magic keeping her on life support. The woman paused and lifted her blade up. “I am Nottingham.” Sunset closed her eyes and prepared for the strike, but it never came. Instead, she heard a loud crack followed by a loud crash. Something cold then enveloped her right hand and moved up her arm before the entire limb was covered. Energy suddenly flowed through the girl as a sudden burst of power coursed through her veins, pulling her from the grasp of death. The Blade of Iron got up from the ground, tired of being hit by magic that flung her around to see a red light shine from the flame haired girl that was bleeding out on the floor. However, the girl was now standing up, radiating with power. Her body radiated with power as it rushed in; it was exhilarating, it was pure ecstasy. The Blade of Iron looked down at her chest and saw that the blast had dented her armor and burned part of it completely off. The masked woman looked up just as Sunset opened her eyes, the whites replaced with black as her turquoise irises glowed. A voice spoke to the girl as she and the Blade stared at each other, both waiting for the other to make the first move. Sirens were heard in the distance as it got closer to the warehouse, red and blue lights flaring in the distance. }}}Kill her…!{{{ The sounds of clashing blades, the crackling of fire, and the heat of a sudden explosion erupted that night. The battle cry of a soldier, and the maniacal laughter of a monster mixed together, indiscernible from each other. Author's Note Hello there Hi I hope you are having a great day. Just some notes and fun facts. Originally I planned out this story to go an entirely different way. Basically, Gilda was going to get away and not get captured. Pinkie and Sunset ends up at the warehouse district because Sunset used to live there and they stumble upon an arms deal between the two bad guy factions. But that ended up getting too bogged down and so I changed it so Gilda got captured. A little fun tidbit. Anyways, feel free to criticize the story to your hearts intent. I appreciate any suggestions. Though I appreciate that you took the time to read this story. (EDIT) Clarified that Thorax isn't Anon-A-Miss and that he is just a minion. (Case 1-2: The Masked Woman): Iron and Steel“We outnumber you eight to one!” The changeling scowled. “You don’t stand a chance!” Sunset raised a hand and willed out fire to erupt from her hands which engulfed the changeling. The creature screamed for a short second as it fell to the ground, smoldering and charred black. However, it still breathed, and slowly crawled away from the fight. “What an idiot.” Another changeling scowled. The six remaining changeling rushed towards Sunset, their weapons raised which consisted of metallic batons which sparked with electricity. The changelings swung at Sunset. She could sense their movements, their intentions and predict their strikes. It seemed that along with strength, Witchblade granted her increased strength, reflexes, perception, and senses. She ducked under one strike and struck the changeling in the stomach, flinging it into a burning cop car. Two came at her, their batons raised up high. She ducked and weaved through their strikes as they swung wildly, trying to get a single hit in, but failing each time. When she saw an opportunity, she struck suddenly and swiftly, striking one of the changeling’s skull and knocking them out. She caught the baton of the other in her claws as she willed three inched blades to extend out from her right hand. She cut the changelings arm off before then kicking it into a car. The last three rushed her with the masked woman behind them, twirling her sword around. Sunset caught a figure lurking around in the background, right behind a cop car, and could feel their gaze focused on her. She didn’t have time to focus on them as she dodged and weaved between the strikes thrown at her by the changelings. After dodging a strike, she saw an opening and used her blade to cut off the hand of one before ducking and stabbing them in the knee. The second came up behind her with their baton raised over their head before swinging down towards her. Sunset transformed one of the blades into a shield and blocked the strike before deflecting it to the side. The changeling stumbled back so Sunset took this opportunity to dash forwards with her blade and stab it right through its shoulder, causing them to drop their baton. She grabbed their arm and lifted them up off the ground before throwing them into the ground with a thunderous ‘crack’. The creature laid there, eyes rolled into the back of its head, leaving the last one who just stood there, shaking in its boots. It ran towards one of the cops laying on the ground and grabbed the man’s pistol. Sunset saw this and reached a hand out, willing out metal wires to extend and envelop the creature. It struggled and fired the pistol into Sunset which hit her torso. She felt the sharp pain as the bullets pierced her body, but she also felt the parts regenerate just as fast. She clenched her fist, causing the wires to contract, cracking the changelings carapace, causing it to cry out in pain and drop the gun. She then dropped it onto the ground in a trembling heap as it crawled away. “Well done!” The masked woman exclaimed behind Sunset. She turned to see the woman pointing her sword, as if challenging her. “The witchblade chose well!” “You …”Sunset’s eyes widened as she recognized that voice, the mannerisms, and their sword. It was the woman from the warehouse …Nottingham. “Me …” The Nottingham nodded. “You know I thought about paying a visit to that girl …what’s her name …Gilda?” She scratched her chin. “However …it seemed she left earlier today.” The woman shrugged. “I’ll find her, you know.” She smiled. “And maybe I’ll mount her head on my mantle.” “NO!” Sunset roared as she rushed at Nottingham. Their blades clashed, Nottingham grinned under her mask as she saw the fury in the girl’s eyes, the anger and hate, but most of all the fire. She could feel the heat radiating off the witchblade wielder and it made her blood boil with excitement. “Good movement!” Nottingham shouted before kicking Sunset back with inhumane speed. “But poor technique!” “Don’t you dare touch a single hair on her!” Sunset roared as she swung at Nottingham . The woman deflected it easily and twisted her blade downwards into Sunset’s stomach before twisting it. Sunset cried out in pain as the masked woman sliced open her abdomen, splashing blood all over the ground before she grabbed Sunset’s neck and threw the girl into a cop car. }}}This woman is dangerous! We must retreat!{{{ ‘She will hurt Pinkie and Gilda! I can’t let her do that!’ }}}If you die we can’t protect the both of them!{{{ Sunset felt the armor begin to move. She looked down and noticed that the armor started to extend over her chest and cover the rest of her body before she was fully covered from the neck down in metal. In the process, she saw the stomach wound she had begun to close which felt like the world’s worst stomach ache. She got up off the ground as Nottingham approached her, playfully swinging her sword around. “I’m going to kill you for what you did at the warehouse! For what you did to my school!” Nottingham rolled her eyes. “Anon-A-Miss? That wasn’t me. I just simply took advantage of it.” The woman looked to the side and her eyes focused on Pinkie who was watching the whole thing unfold in front of her at the sidelines. She thought back to how the witchblade made it her first priority to save the girl. She smiled as she pulled out a gun and pointed it at the crowd, aimed right at Pinkie. The crowd that was gathering around screamed as they fled the scene, realizing that now they were in the crosshairs. Nottingham smiled as her finger touched the trigger. “Though I have to admit …having people know you’re not Anon-A-Miss is bad for business.” “NO!” Sunset screamed as shot fire at Nottingham, catching the woman off guard for a second. However, this was what she was hoping for. She extended out her hands and the runes on her back and arms started to work as she absorbed the energy of the witchblade. Nottingham felt power surge through her while Sunset felt as if it was being drained from her very being. Nottingham felt her body throb, the heat within her roar to live as her heart raced, as if trying to escape from her chest. She had trained her entire life to stay cool, to keep her composure, but nothing could prepare her for the influx of power she received. A frenzy filled her mind, and the only thing she could think of was to kill the unworthy being in front of her. }}}Sunset! That woman is draining my power! We need to flee now or else be torn to shreds!{{{ ‘We need to get Pinkie to safety first!’ Sunset got up off the ground and made her way towards the sidelines, her arm outstretched to grab Pinkie and run. However, a stern hand grasped her arm and tossed her away to the side and into the ground. She looked up to see Nottingham standing over her, breathing heavily. “Your power …GIVE ME MORE!” Nottingham rushed forwards, her sword raised over her head, the blade now glowing a bright blue. Sunset got up from the ground and braced herself for the incoming strikes. She was wholly unprepared for the rapid and successive strikes that assailed her. It felt as if she was being assaulted by four skilled warriors as the blade struck every part of her body in what felt like to be a second. Using her enhanced reflexes, she deflected as many as she could, but the strikes found gaps that she couldn’t defend. The blades cut her body open through the metal, and blood poured out as each wound healed was quickly replaced by another one. She could feel her energy draining as her mind screamed for every strike she felt incoming, but couldn’t defend. Nottingham grasped Sunset by the throat and lifted her up from the ground. “A valiant effort! But you are outmatched!” Nottingham roared as her hand clenched over Sunset’s throat. “I wonder how I will kill you! Maybe I’ll skin you alive! Maybe I’ll slowly rip you limbs off one by one and see how fast you can regenerate!”A cruel grin found its way upon her face. “I know! I’ll do it all at once!” }}}Sunset! Focus!{{{ Despite all her efforts, she couldn’t escape from the women's grasp as she raised her glowing blue sword, aimed right at her neck. A maniacal laughter escaped Nottingham’s lips as she prepared to strike. Sunset braced herself as her mind raced to think of a way to escape, but it only focused on Gilda and Pinkie. ‘Was this always my destiny? To die such a cruel fate?’ Sunset wondered. ‘My teacher princess Celestia once taught that every pony had a destiny, whether for greatness or evil. When I asked who chose their destiny …she simply smiled and said [they choose their own]. Now I wonder …if this is the consequences of my actions. After a life of sin …did I choose this destiny and fate?’Sunset grit her teeth. ‘Then I walk into it willingly.’ Before Nottingham could stab Sunset with her blade, the figure that was hanging round the perimeter suddenly jumped in. The stranger moved with amazing speed and struck the woman’s face, knocking her mask off. Nottingham stumbled back before she was kicked in the stomach, causing her to double over. Sunset let out a gasp as she was released from its grasp. She looked up to see who was her savior. The woman turned around …and what Sunset saw shook her. The face of Adagio Dazzle stared at her, meeting her gaze. The siren who caused her so much trouble during the battle of the bands was now standing there, saving her. ‘Idiot! How could you so easily be consumed by power!’ Adagio berated Nottingham in her mind. ‘You were supposed to absorb the witchblade not kill the first user in decades! This was not part of the plan …and I’ll deal with you later!’ “RUN!” Adagio exclaimed as Nottingham looked up at her. “Wh-why?” Nottingham muttered quietly before Adagio kicked the woman in the face, shutting her up. Adagio heard sirens begin to approach, so she looked around for the witchblade. She noticed the woman slip away into the darkness so she began to follow as cops began to appear. “Freeze! CCPD!” A voice exclaimed as Adagio fled the scene, disappearing into the shadows behind Sunset. Sunset ran into an alleyway, shaking as she leaned back against a wall. Her breath was stuttered, and she tried to regain her composure after that near-death experience. The witchblade had retracted from the full-body and back to barely covering her breasts and womanhood. She shut her eyes and steadied her breathing. Her nerves were completely shot, and it made her feel like a wreck. When she just started to feel powerful …she was tossed down again, and by the same person in the warehouse. She felt helpless and useless, but was thankful that at least Pinkie was safe for the time being. }}}To your right.{{{ Sunset looked over her shoulder and nearly jumped out of her skin as Adagio Dazzle walked out of the shadows. The woman let out a sigh before taking off her jacket and handing it over to Sunset. The jacket was a nice shade of violet with pink frills on the inside. Dazzle had a purple suit and violet trousers underneath it which had stars ingrained in neatly ordered lines. “Take this. It is cold outdoors.” Adagio said as Sunset hesitantly took the jacket. “Adagio …?”Sunset muttered, getting the woman’s attention. “Have we met before?” The woman raised an eyebrow. Sunset shook her head. “I guess not …” Dazzle reached out, but Sunset flinched. “Don’t touch me. I …I’m not comfortable at the moment …” The woman nodded. “Stay safe out there.” “Don’t follow me …”Was sunsets only response as she ran out into the street. Adagio watched as the witchblade extended out her wings and flew up into the night sky, and continued until the wielder had disappeared into the clouds. The woman stared stoically before turning around and walking off. She had a certain Blaze to deal with. Witchblade Sunset woke up in her bed, completely naked with only Dazzle’s jacket around her. She let out a groan as she sat up, rubbing her neck as she recalled last night's events. She rubbed her eyes and remembered Adagio Dazzle, or at least her counterpart saving her out of nowhere. She didn’t know how to feel about it, and was conflicted because though the siren was dangerous, petty, and vindictive …the human had saved her life. }}}That was too dangerous. I was almost completely drained of my power.{{{ Sunset rolled her eyes as she got out of bed. She tossed the jacket to the side before walking towards her closet. “I had to go save Pinkie.” She muttered. }}}The woman’s target wasn’t your friend. It was us. She just did that to lure us out.{{{ “Well …I’m not going to just sit around and let her skewer my friends.” Sunset snapped as she took out a fresh pair of clothing from the closet. She scoffed. “Besides …I am no stranger to life and death situations.” }}}You are reckless. Headstrong with a complete disregard for your safety. There is a difference between bravery and foolishness.{{{ Sunset was silent as she slowly put on her clothes. She let out a heavy sigh when she turned around to look a the jacket that laid on her bed. She picked it up with one hand and found it be quite heavy. She pressed her face into it, and found it to also be extremely fuzzy. “Do you have to shred all my clothes every time I transform?” Sunset asked as she put the jacket around her. “I would like to keep some intact.” }}}Not all the time …but most of the time. It depends on the situation.{{{ “Fantastic. I’ll either have to make sure to strip before I transform or ask Rarity to make new ones for me because at this rate my wardrobe will empty out.” She grumbled. She then looked down at her bracelet. “Why didn’t you give me the full armor when we first transformed?” }}}I transform based on the danger that you are in. The changelings were a low threat. The woman with the sword was dangerous.{{{ “Well I would prefer a full transformation to begin with.” Sunset grumbled. “I don’t want to look like some stripper when fighting monsters.” }}}I would advise you to show more respect. The wielders before you have worn that armor and altered the fate of the world itself and etched their name in history.” “Maybe in this universe.” Sunset muttered as she stretched her arms and legs. “I wonder if you have a parallel in my dimension.” }}}Unlikely. I have sifted through your memories. Though there are many parallels of my world and yours, it is not a pure copy.{{{ “Maybe I should tell Twilight about this …” Sunset muttered absentmindedly, not paying attention to the witchblade as she looked at her Journal which sat on the nightstand. She rubbed her chin. “If there is an artifact like this in Equestria …it would be prudent to ensure it doesn’t fall in the wrong hands.” Before she could continue pondering, her bedroom door slammed open. It was Gilda and she had a wild expression on her face. “Sunset! Did you see the news!?” The girl exclaimed. Sunset followed Gilda downstairs where she saw Celestia and Luna watching the news. {The deadly attack left many officers and members of the Pie residence injured. However, nobody had any lethal injuries and are expected to make short recoveries.} The news brought up the image of the wreckage in front of the Pie residence. The cop cars had stopped burning but their burnt ruins laid there in full display. Trucks were towing the wreckage away in the clip as police and detectives swarmed the area. {The assailant was unknown but the dead bodies of seven were recovered. They were identified to be gang members belonging to an unknown faction. The FBI has explained that many people that night was hysterical and mistook the gang members armor for insect carapaces.} A blurry picture of a changeling appeared on screen. However it was so heavily blurred and distorted by the fire around the area, one could mistake the creatures for a strangely armored mercenary. {The FBI and police arrived, but the gang members managed to escape through the inferno and ensuing chaos. There is also a question about the strange rogue cop that many bystanders claimed to have seen that night. Here is a photo} The next picture caused a chill to go up Sunset’s spine. It was a photo of her in all her glory wielding the witchblade with Pinkie in her arms. Bat wings extending out from her back along with her black eyes and turquoise irises were quite pronounced in the photo. The scene then switched to Shining Armor who stood in front of the scene. {We do not know who this woman is …but she is either a vigilante or a rogue cop with high tech. We already had suspicions that ChangeData may be involved in the mystery murders, but now we have hints they may be involved in this incident as well.} {Chief Shining Armor. Are you saying that this and the mystery murders are connected?} A reporter asked. {What I am saying is that there are a lot of coincidences. I won’t comment further than that. All you need to know is that the task force is working diligently on bringing these criminals to justice.} Sunset wrung her hands nervously as the news then shifted to the most recent Mystery Murder. It was a woman who was mysteriously fried from the inside out, something that was described as being impossible. Gilda let out a heavy sigh right besides her while shaking her head. “Looks like we got a lot of work to do.” The girl muttered. Sunset couldn’t help but agree. This was just the beginning, she looked down at her bracelet, and she felt the path she was treading was about to get messier. Witchblade “Your cousins are loose cannons and are out of control. Did you read the last report?” Adagio growled as she leaned against the wall. Aria Blaze was tied up within a large black suit, with only her eyes showing. Adagio let out a scoff. “What I believe is that we should cut them out. Anon-A-Miss has already handled most of the heavy lifting.” Adagio paced back and forth in the tiled room the two women were in. The walls and the floor were tiled, looking to be recently cleaned and buffered. Aria scowled under the suit as she gripped her hands into fists. The power that flowed through her was impossible to control, and it filled her with bloodlust not even she could resist. If Adagio was to be overwhelmed with it, she too would fall, but the women needed to blame Aria for her failure. “They can bitch and moan about it all they want. Without support, they are nothing but rabid dogs. Very powerful …but with nothing in those thick empty skulls of theirs.” Adagio stopped and listened in to the other voice on the other end. “Yes …my acquisition of the witchblade has been delayed. Thanks to a certain variable …” Adagio turned and glared at Aria with a scowl. “But I can get it soon. Don’t worry about that, she shouldn’t be anything to worry about.” Adagio suddenly tense up, her eyebrows raised. “Really? Those four? Thought they couldn’t manifest without a huge amount of energy.” The voice on the phone continued and Adagio nodded. “A gambit …a gambit we most likely have to take.” The conversation continued and Aria felt like nodding off, but an elbow from Adagio prevented it. “Of course. I’ll get it done as soon as possible. Who was Anon-A-Miss again?” The caller’s voice was too far to reply and Aria watched as Adagio nodded. “The Canterlot Movie Club right, and the fourth?” The voice seemed to continue on, and Aria could hear a bit of hesitation and agitation in from the other side of the phone. “True …the fourth is too hard to control and too destructive.” Adagio nodded in agreement. “Three will be more than enough. I’ll get them, do not worry. I’ll update you when I do.” Adagio put her phone away as she turned towards Aria with a disappointed and angry frown. “You were supposed to absorb and control the power, but instead let it get into your head!” The woman snapped. “You almost ruined a perfectly crafted plan that could have set us back decades!” Adagio let out a scowl. “I entrusted you with a gift …with an ability many would dream of just having for a couple of seconds.” She continued as she paced around the dimly lit, tiled room. She shook her head and let out a disappointed sigh, trying to shake off the fury that raged within her. “And you have proved yourself incapable.” The woman leaned forwards and glared at Aria. “Take this time to reflect on your failure last night, and think of this as a lesson about how to handle power.” Adagio walked over towards a table and opened up a control panel. Aria finally took notice of the wires that came from the panel which was connected to each one of her limbs. “This won’t be enough to kill you, especially with all the enhancements within you.” Adagio reassured as her hand hovered over a switch. “And make sure to take this lesson to heart, otherwise it won’t be just a hundred volts next time.” She paused and turned to look Aria in the eye. “I’m doing this because I care, because this is important. Don’t worry …I'm sure you’ll come out of this a wiser person.” Adagio smirked as she grasped the switch. “Think of this as a lesson on how to control your power.” Adagio then flipped the switch on. Witchblade Sunset sat in the cafe right next to Gilda with untouched coffee right in front of them. The SugarCube Cafe had gotten back to business quite quickly after the little skirmish Sunset had with the monsters two days ago. There were customers, but not many, probably because everyone heard what had happened and had chosen to avoid the area like the plague. However, Sunset found comfort in the small cafe. It felt like home, like family to her, but yet she felt a bit empty. As if there was something missing. Gilda was good company, but she by herself couldn’t fill the hole Sunset felt within her chest. They sat in silence as Sunset looked out the window at the pedestrians walking up and down the street. They were told that it wasn’t a good idea to go out, especially with killers on the run who were getting bolder every single day. The incident at the Pie residence shook the entire police department, and making the double the amount of security at both residences. Though it made it a bit more obvious, Shining Armor had told them that he wasn’t taking any more risks. They were really starting to clamp down hard on the Mystery Murder Cases it seemed. “This entire city is going crazy.” Gilda finally muttered before taking a sip from her coffee. “Tell me about it.” Sunset nodded as she followed suit. She put her mug down and let out a sigh. “And all of this because I decided to pursue Anon-A-Miss.” Gilda shook her head. “Nobody blames you.” She let out a scoff. “If it was me …I’d be cracking heads left and right.” She snorted. Sunset couldn’t help but smile as well. “Reckless bunch the two of us aren’t we?” She smirked. “Running into danger headstrong, and blowing stuff up.” She let out a sigh. “It’s just not in my nature to be passive though. If something is going wrong …I don’t take shit laying down.” Gilda nodded as well. “Understandable.” She raised her coffee mug in the air. “However, it is good to take a break once in a while. I’ve learned firsthand that it’s good to unwind once in a while.” Sunset nodded as she looked down at her bracelet. “I agree.” She muttered. }}}To be effective in battle, one must learn how to conserve their energy.{{{ ‘Yeah, yeah. I know. Duty and all that.’ Sunset said within her head. She leaned against the cafe window. }}}My powers is a blessing as much as it is a curse and a burden.{{{ ‘How cheerful of you.’ }}}Thank you. I am the epitome of positivity.{{{ ‘Did any other wielder tell you otherwise?’ }}}Yes. I was always described as being too serious, tense, and tone deaf.{{{ ‘Do you take constructive criticism?’ Sunset raised up an eyebrow. }}}No.{{{ ‘Duly noted.’ Sunset signed under her breath and sat back in her seat. She looked up at the menu and thought about what pastries she would like to eat. Her mind somehow connected sweet with an image of principal Celestia. The woman looked to be less stressed and better that morning, but there was still a weight upon her shoulders. When Sunset asked Luna and Celestia what was on their mind, they just shrugged it off. The two then told Gilda and Sunset to stay home that day and out of trouble, but the two elected to ignore it and go hang out in the cafe instead. It was a pain convincing the police officers to let them free though, and they were forced to take a small radio she was certain that was being tracked. The attack at Pinkie’s had made everyone paranoid, it seemed that even the cops were vulnerable now. Sunset saw two cops hanging outside in their car enjoying their coffee for the day, but she had suspicions they were keeping an eye on them, as if they were too helpless to defend themselves. She rolled her eyes and focused back on Gilda who looked agitated, tapping the floor with her feet, and on the table with her fingers. “What’s on your mind?” She asked the white haired girl. Gilda shook her head. “It’s nothing.” She muttered as she continued on fidgeting in her seat. Sunset rolled her eyes as she noticed that the girl was rubbing her fingers, as if there was something on them which was bothering her. “What’s up with your fingers?” Sunset asked, catching the white haired girl by surprise. “I do it from time to time. Bad habit from a different time.” She explained. “I used to wear these very uncomfortable gloves when I was younger …” She looked to the side, as if in shame. “It’s something I am not proud of.” She muttered. Sunset wanted to continue, but she decided not to press since the other girl looked extremely uncomfortable about the subject. So she decided to try and segway to something else entirely, one which wouldn’t ruin the small number of allies she had at the moment. “Is it about the news?” Sunset asked. Gilda looked up and the two locked eyes. Gilda finally nodded. “Yes …that is part of it.” She muttered. “Right after the warehouse, something like that happens.” Gilda let out a sigh. “An attack of that scale at the Pie residence after the warehouse?” The girl shook her head. “That isn’t a coincidence.” Sunset nodded as she pulled away from the window and sat back in her seat. She had to admit that it obviously wasn’t a coincidence, anyone could see that. The people she was trying to expose wanted to silence any witnesses, however what confused her was the masked woman. She was trying to steal the witchblade from her, and Pinkie just seemed to be a way to draw her out. There were so many questions and so little answers. }}}We were the main target of that attack, there is no doubt about it. We must be more careful about the fights we pick otherwise we will end up dead or worse.{{{ ‘But why? The warehouse …the attack …Anon-A-Miss …ChangeData …how are they all connected?’ }}}Let us hope we survive to find out.{{{ Sunset rolled her eyes at witchblade’s comment and was about to answer Gilda when a voice interrupted them. “The cops are on it. That’s all that matters.” A husky voice replied as a woman sat down next to Sunset in the shop. Gilda’s eyes widened, and Sunset turned to see the figure of Adagio Dazzle sitting right next to her. The woman was wearing a jacket which was purple and laced with violet frills. It had a smooth and polished gleam to it, along with a nice pattern upon it. However, the only difference was that she wore an iron mask which covered her features. It was coloured in a way which made it look jagged which shone in the light. There was a certain elegance to it, the roundness of it, along with the two eye holes which allowed her magenta pupil to shine through. “Do we know you?” Gilda asked as she leaned forwards. “Because you look familiar.” “I have been told that before in this area.” Adagio Dazzle nodded with a laugh. She took out a menu and opened it up. “Do you want anything?” She asked. “I’m good, thanks.” Gilda narrowed her eyes. Adagio shrugged and snapped her fingers. Mrs. Cake walked over with a notebook. “What do you want?” The older woman asked. “One of everything.” Adagio answered before placing a platinum coloured credit card in the menu and handing it over to Mrs. Cake. The woman’s eyes widened before scurrying off to the cash register to slide the card. There was a second, and Sunset could see the woman’s brain begin to process the order before she ran back to the table and handed Adagio her credit card and receipt back. The woman then turned around and headed into the back of the restaurant. “Can you even finish all of that?” Gilda snarked. “I have been asked that before.” Adagio nodded, with a hint of amusement in her voice. She tilted her head. “Do you know who I am?” Gilda shook her head. “No …don’t keep up with rich people.” Adagio nodded again. “Fair enough.” She tilted her head. “I am the Iron Lady of Canterlot City …” She straightened up. “You may have heard that title somewhere.” That name caused Gilda to recoil back before leaning forwards a little. “I heard you died.” She muttered with shock on her face. Adagio let out a hearty laugh before putting her hands out in front of her. “It’s a family title.” She explained. “Yes …my mother died …but I took her mantle.” “What is your name?” Gilda asked. “Family secret miss Grimshaw.” Adagio put a finger up to her mask as if silencing herself. “But you can call me Mrs. Irons.” “How do you know my name!” Gilda demanded, but only got a laugh in response. “I know everything around here.” Adagio put her hands out. “I own a successful technology company, the electrical grid and water system.” She leaned forwards. “My family was one of the city's founders, you see.” She whispered. “I’ve never heard of your family being a founder of this city.” Gilda narrowed her eyes. Adagio shrugged. “Many don’t.” She then turned towards Sunset. “However. This young woman has.” She placed an arm around Sunset. Sunset flinched but the the embrace didn’t feel hostile, but rather laid back and warm, like she was talking to a friend rather than a foe. There was a certain element to the woman’s voice that made her sound approachable and friendly. It made the air seem lighter and more relaxed. “When did you two meet?” Gilda narrowed her eyes. Sunset pursed her lips and looked to the side. “It’s complicated.” She muttered. Adagio nodded. “Our first meeting was …messy.” She explained. “Let me guess. The warehouse?” Gilda asked, an eyebrow raised. Adagio let out a laugh and shook her head. “No no no. Though I have relations with ChangeData I am not that influental.” She smiled. “It was related to it though.” “Did you send the demons after Sunset?” Gilda snarled. Sunset felt uncomfortable as she felt the air begin to shift. Gilda’s temper, suspicion and impulses was beginning to make the air around them tense up. “Demons?” Adagio laughed before she leaned forwards. “Please. I would never associate with such disgusting creatures who cause only destruction and mayhem.” She leaned back. “Although it is unfortunate that ChangeData was reckless enough to allow such creatures into their warehouse.” She shook her head. “How disappointing of them.” “Gilda.” Sunset spoke up, getting the girl’s attention. She put her hands in front of her on the table. “She’s not an enemy.” “Is she a friend?” Gilda looked over at Adagio with a snarl. “Am I?” Adagio glanced at Sunset, her features covered by her mask, but there was a hint of curiosity in her voice. “That depends.” Sunset narrowed her eyes. She felt suspicious of the woman, appearing out of nowhere to help her when she was on her last knees. Though she was pretty certain the woman wasn’t an enemy, she wasn’t sure what her goals were. “Let me prove it to you.” Adagio reached into her suit and procured out two cards. She handed one each to both Sunset and Gilda. “If you need help or guidance …call me. I’ll always be available.” The woman turned to Sunset and pat her on the shoulder. “I wish I could stay here and chat, but I have a meeting I got to go to.” Adagio got up from the table and put a hand upon Sunset’s shoulder before leaning up to her ear. “I know you have many questions, and I have your answers. If you wish to know more, meet me at my building listed on the card whenever you want.” She than straightened herself, and walked out of the cafe. Sunset followed the woman and saw her get into a sleek, polished, and slim black car with a long hood with pearl white engravings on it. She watched it pull out from the curb and into the street before disappearing into the distance. “You want to tell me what that was about?” Gilda growled angrily as Sunset turned back to face the girl. “She …well it’s hard to explain.” Sunset muttered. “She saved me.” “When?” Gilda raised an eyebrow. “A while ago.” Sunset looked to the side. She felt bad for lying to Gilda, but she didn’t want the girl to know that she currently held a magical artifact that gave her the power to fight demons. She especially didn’t want the girl that she then fought someone who was very much not a demon and got her ass handed to her on a silver platter. }}}I do not like that woman. Your friend is right to be suspicious.{{{ ‘She saved us that night though. I can’t think of any reason why she would.’ }}}To gain our trust. To let our guard down.{{{ ‘What if she is just friendly?’ }}}What if she is not.{{{ Sunset paused as she pondered the witchblade’s words. She looked out the window down the street where Adagio had disappeared. She then looked down at the card she was given and saw the address for the building, her phone number, along with the company name. ‘Iron International’ was written upon the card. The woman seemed nice enough, but had a hint of mystery and mystique surrounding her, and it piqued Sunset’s curiosity. “I don’t like this.” Gilda shook her head. “Anon-A-Miss, the attacks, and then that woman.” She leaned back. “Something ain’t right.” “Gilda. We need allies.” Sunset finally sighed. She didn’t want to admit it, but at the moment, the two were quite outmatched. The masked woman, the so-called ‘Blade of Iron’ she fought the night before was able to cut through the witchblade, and she wasn’t sure how. “Especially concerning Anon-A-Miss.” “But we also can’t afford to be pulled into deeper shit.” Gilda explained. “How do we know that Harlot won’t screw us over the first chance she has?” The girl asked. Sunset smiled. “Well.” She looked up. “I’ll find out when I can.” “Yeah.” Gilda sighed. “Thought you would. Caution isn’t a word you understand well.” She muttered before being interrupted by Miss Cake. The woman had a cart full of sweets of every variety along with every drink, shake, pastry, ice cream and courses the small cafe had to offer. It looked to be enough to feed a large family, and the cart towered over the two and was between six to seven feet tall. Sunset could only gawk as a large cake, three drinks, and a large tub of ice cream was placed before her. “Diabetes the meal.” Gilda muttered. “Where was that lovely woman who was talking with you?” Miss Cake asked. Sunset let out a sigh. “She left already.” She muttered. “Guess it’s just us two.” “Oh, that’s a shame.” The owner shook her head as she gave Gilda her meal. “She seemed nice.” “Yes …she seemed nice.” Gilda muttered before looking back at Sunset. The two stared at each other, both having multiple things going through their head. Sunset was thinking about all the situation she had found her in, and about what her next course of action should be. Gilda was wondered how Sunset kept finding her way in dangerous situations, almost as if the girl was a magnet for trouble. Miss cake was wondering if she could ever find such a well paying customer ever again. ‘Hey witchblade. Can you eat all of this?’ Sunset asked in her mind as she poked at her food. }}}I will increase your metabolism and store some of it for energy later.{{{ ‘Thanks.’ Sunset took a bite of ice cream. ‘You seem used to this.’ }}}You would not believe the unhealthy diets of many past wielders.{{{ “Well if we don’t die from demons, monsters or a government conspiracy …” Gilda grumbled as she took a bite from a large pink cake. “We can die happily after eating ourselves into a food coma.” “Now that is the Canterlot dream.” Sunset chuckled while raising her shake in the air. The two shared a hearty laugh as they tried to eat the food that was in front of them Witchblade Adagio sat around the table, staring at the four wendigos sitting in front of her. Aria blaze sat next to her, glaring daggers at the woman, probably because of her little disciplinary action. She paid no attention though, for Adagio was sure Aria would get over it sooner or later and not whine about how she was unjustly treated. “So …let me get this straight.” Adagio pointed at the four demons in front of her. “After months of being freed …all you have done is jack shit. Faffing about like morons and getting nothing done.” She snapped. “The Anon-A-Miss situation is almost ready to burst.” Hybris interjected. “It is close to exploding. It just needs a couple more weeks to fester.” “A plan you have now put into jeopardy because of your fucking overfeeding!” Adagio snapped. “You have brought the police down on us. Not to mention reporters, police and private investigators.” The woman shook her head and spun her chair around to face the window of her suite. “Why is it that I have to clean up other people’s mess?” She spun her chair to face Aria. “What do you think?” Aria grit her teeth and snarled out. “Maybe we should wait and decide if it was their mess and ensure they aren’t Unjustly and Wrongly punished.” She felt the stares from the four wendigos int he room but she didn’t care. She was too busy glaring daggers at Adagio who sat innocently in her chair. She gripped the pistol under the table, thinking of the pros and cons of blasting the woman in her face. “Whatever do you mean?” Adagio gestured towards the wendigos. “They chose to gorge themselves upon the native populace like it was a buffet.” She raised an eyebrow. Aria grit her teeth and whispered, ‘Damn you Irons,’ under her breath. ‘You best control your temper Miss Aria. You are delirious.’ Adagio whispered back to her bodyguard. ‘Did you forget that I was the one who saved and woke you up?’ ‘Who put me there in the first place?’ Aria sneered as she noticed the four wendigos in the room was starting to shift. They were beginning to become agitated from the secret dialogue between her and Adagio. “We understand our wrongdoing.” The wendigo Hybris bowed. “I will ensure that my brethren won’t make the same foolish mistake again.” She turned and glared at the other three in the room. “And of the rogue three currently on the loose?” Adagio raised her eyebrow. “I’ll take care of it Mrs. Irons.” Hypnos walked forwards. Her expression and demanor was stoic, without a hint of emotion within her voice. “I know how to contain them.” “Always the reliable one.” Zelus scowled, a sneer forming at the edges of her lips, her face scrunched in wrath. “Mommy’s little PET!” “Zelus enough.” Ninkasi rolled her eyes as she took a drink from her bottle. “You’re going to give me constipation with the bitterness in your voice.” The woman than tipped the bottle over her mouth and started to drink from it without taking a breath, “That’ll be a first fatass.” Zelus sneered. “Enough!” Adagio finally slammed her hand down upon the table, causing three of them to flinch, but Hybris stood firm. “I have called our benefactor and she has proposed a solution to our little problem.” She finally explained. “Chrysalis? What does she suggest?” Hybris asked, her hands interlocking with each other. “I wished to cut you off completely.” Adagio explained. “Finish the whole Anon-A-Miss project myself.” She sneered. “That’s how unreliable you all have become.” “Well fuck you too.” Zelus rolled her eyes. “But Chrysalis has offered a solution.” Adagio leaned back. “We can bring in the four. Their power and expertise will bring the plan into fruition.” “The energy expended will be enormous.” Hybris scowled. “Is my plan not sufficient enough? The energy that will result from it will be enough from everyone. For us …for the changelings …and for your little witchblade” The lady scoffed. Adagio narrowed her eyes. “My use for the energy is of my concern only.” She scowled. “Your plan has been compromised, our time frame has moved up especially now that the cops are investigating ChangeData.” She opened up her arms. “Chrysalis isn’t happy, and you know what happens when she is angry.” Hybris bowed her head, but with apprehension and thinly veiled rage. The plan was her work, and she was proud of it, it was connected to her pride after all. “Who do you propose to be the subjects to be?” Adagio smiled and turned towards Aria. “Yes …the subjects.” She looked up at the ceiling. “Who were the volunteers again? You were …tied up when I was discussing the new plan.” She smiled. Aria scowled. “I believe they were the Canterlot Movie Club …and Diamond Tiara.” She finally answered. She looked at the wendigo Hybris and saw the woman stiffen, hearing the last name. She smiled, she had offered Diamond Tiara knowing that it would hit her hard, and glanced at Adagio, who also seemed to do a double take. This wouldn’t go well with Hybris and they both knew that, and she was the closest to a leader of the seven. It wasn’t much, but it was the best she could do to get one over Adagio at the moment. “Diamond Tiara?” Adagio muttered in surprise before turning towards Hybris who was wringing her hands. “Ah yes. Diamond Tiara. Of course her.” She nodded before raising an eyebrow. “She will be a great host. This won’t be a problem will it Hybris?” The wendigo shook her head, but with apprehension and stiffness in their neck. They looked down, their face twisting, as if there were two minds warring with each other. “No …it won’t be a problem Mrs. Irons.” “Perfect than!” Adagio clapped her hands. “And if this doesn’t work …we can always use other freshman from the school.” She sat there as silence permeated the room. “That was a joke.” “What about the witchblade?” Hypnos asked. She looked stoically at Adagio while Aria flinched and started to shift in her seat. “Have you found who she is?” Adagio wrung her hands before nodding. “Yes.” “Will you tell us?” “That concern is mine only.” Adagio scowled. “In fact it is a good thing the only person in this room other than me is Aria because knowing you four you would mess up any plan I have.” She glared at Ninkasi. “When can you make her a non-threat?” Ninkasi scowled. “We have had bad experiences with the witchblade before …and would appreciate it if we weren’t skewered by her.” The wendigo snarled as she reached into her stomach and procured out a bottle. Adagio gave a sly smile under her mask as her eyes focused on the four wendigos. “I have a plan for her. One way or another …either she or the witchblade will be under my control.” Witchblade Sunset sat in her room with her laptop open in front of her. Gilda laid on her bed while tossing a ball up in the air. The girl was obviously tired and full from the massive breakfast, lunch and dinner they had thanks to Adagio earlier that day. When Sunset and Adagio realized they couldn’t finish, they decided to take it home so as to not waste food. They ended up needing a cart to move the treats back home which they borrowed from Mrs. Cake. When Luna and Celestia got home, they were greeted by the sugary treats which filled up their fridge. Sunset explained the whole thing to them and they agreed to help finish it up. It turns out that Celestia could eat lots of sweets, way more than Sunset could, and she ate it with a bit too much enthusiasm. She then went into a food coma, with a very grouchy sister looking over her. Sunset took out the card Adagio gave to her and analyzed it. It had the womans name, phone, and company name written upon it. She let out a sigh and put it to the side as she looked at the page in front of her which gave the details of the company. They mostly dealt with the utilities, and they had control of many which somehow didn’t break any laws. Other than that, this world’s Adagio Dazzle looked clean. She didn’t seem to be associate with any criminal activities or any controversies. In fact, she donated a lot of money to different charities on the daily basis. She seemed to be quite the upstanding citizen in this world. She had also tried looking into Nottingham and who the woman was. Apparently she was a notorious assassin who struck fear into those she hunted. She was known for assassinations, assaults against entire gangs, and for her ties to yakuza. It didn’t help that nobody knew her true name, or who she truly worked for. “So I was thinking.” Gilda muttered groggily. “What if it was your friends. Like Rarity.” “What …why?” Sunset scoffed. “Well someone had to get the photos from your phone.” Gilda scoffed as she caught the ball she was tossing. “And she has a motive …and the means to do so.” “What would her motive be?” Sunset turned around to look at Gilda. “Well …didn’t you cause her dress to fall apart during the spring fling that one time?” Gilda asked. Sunset froze as the memory came back to her. It was painful, and she had tried to push the memory to the side, but now, it stared her in the face. “I mean …it was hilarious.” Gilda snickered which earned a glare from Sunset. Gilda cleared her throat and continued. “But …I’ve seen Rarity. That girl can hold a grudge. What better way to get back at you than frame you for a crime you didn’t commit.” She coughed. “She forgave me.” Sunset muttered. “For someone who forgave you, she was quite quick to dump you.” Gilda sat up from the bed. “Listen. They aren’t your friends. They only pretended to forgive you as a favor to some exotic princess from another continent.” Sunset raised an eyebrow. “Where did you hear that?” She asked. “Pinkie Pie told that story to everyone.” Gilda explained. Sunset couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Out of anyone who could make up such a story, it would in fact, be Pinkie Pie. “But what would she get out of it?” Sunset asked. “Satisfaction.” Gilda shrugged. “Revenge. Euphoria.” The girl let out a sigh. “Take it from me …people don’t need that much of a motivation for crimes.” Sunset looked up at Gilda and saw the girl had her head hung low. She looked to have the whole world upon her shoulders at the moment, and her eyes were staring straight into the ground. “Want to talk about it?” Sunset asked, getting Gilda’s attention. “What do you want to know?” Gilda grumbled, twiling the ball in her hand around. “When you tried to change …what happened?” She asked. “Who attacked you.” Gilda paused and looked away. Sunset saw the girl’s arms sag, her hand go limp. She knew at that moment that she had hit the nail on the head. “High schoolers are fucking bloodhounds. They sense weakness, and they come rip the person to shreds. Look at what they did to Diamond Tiara” Gilda turned back and looked Sunset in the eye. The girl’s eyes were weary, tired, and heavy, Sunset could see that this wasn’t easy. “Sometimes …I-I wonder if it was even worth it.” Gilda choked. The girl wiped her eyes. “What’s the point of trying to change if people will just line up to beat you down the moment you let your guard down?” She sniffed. “Shit …” She cursed as she looked away again. Sunset got up from her chair and walked over to give the girl a huge. She pressed her face into the girl’s jacket, and could feel their chest heave up and down. “I’m sorry.” Gilda muttered. “For what?” Sunset asked. “For being weak …” Gilda hung her head down. “How can I protect anyone if I can’t even protect myself.” She muttered. “I know how hard it is.” Sunset sighed. “How hard it is to get people to forgive you.” Sunset felt Gilda nod so she pulled away from the girl. “But that’s not why we change.” Sunset smirked as Gilda turned back around to face her. “We change because it’s the right thing to do. Because we want to be better …whether they choose to forgive us or not …that is beyond our control.” She whispered. “So we just take the beating without fighting back?” Gilda scowled. “No.” Sunset looked up and gripped the girl’s shoulder. “We find others who are like us …and we help each other.” Gilda looked up at Sunset, who just smiled. “We stand there with them …and they stand there with us.” Sunset placed a soft hand on Gilda’s cheek and gently brushed it. “I won’t abandon you Gilda Grimshaw. I’ll be there for you …you can be certain of that.” Gilda gently grabbed Sunset’s hand and leaned into it. She closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh. “Thank you for that miss Shimmer.” The girl gave a small smile as she gently laid down in the bed. Sunset couldn’t help but smile as she pat the girl gently on the back. She got up and went back to her laptop and looked on the screen. She looked down and glanced at the card in front of her which had the address to Adagio’s company building. She clicked her tongue as she tried to decide what to do tomorrow. }}}I don’t trust that woman. She is too suspicious.{{{ ‘What choice do we have?’ Sunset asked in her mind. She turned back towards Gilda. ‘We don’t have many allies …and it’s obvious she knows something.’ }}}We must proceed with caution and not rush in head on.{{{ ‘I’m always careful.’ Sunset smirked. }}}Really? Like that time when you rushed in to fight several students assailing the girl, Diamond Tiara?{{{ Sunset froze in place. ‘You can see my memories?’ }}}I can. I do not like what I see. I am not happy seeing my wielder letting her be subject to beatings and torment, mental and physical.{{{ Sunset shook her head and let out a sigh as she collapsed in her seat. ‘If you can see my memories, then you should know I deserve it.’ She looked out the window. ‘I was a demon back then.’ }}}And then you changed. You saved their lives and fought of the three sirens. Why do you roll over and accept their transgressions?{{{ ‘Because I am better than them.’ Sunset looked down at her arms which had many scars from the multiple altercations she had found herself in after Anon-A-Miss. ‘I will not stoop to their level.’ }}}There is a difference between aggression and self-defense. If they attack you again, I must implore you to defend yourself.{{{ ‘I’ll be fine.’ Sunset thought to herself as she looked at the screen of her laptop one more time. The image of Adagio Dazzle in her mask sat in front of her. Her name was the Iron Lady of Canterlot, but the reason behind that name was puzzling. There were some legends she managed to dig up in the past, but it all seemed to be hearsay. }}}I hope so.{{{ Sunset closed her laptop and got up from her chair. She walked up to Gilda, who looked to be in a food coma like Celestia. She smiled, glad to see the girl taking a break, she was always so up in arms about it. She reached around the girl and took off her jacket and put it to the side. The girl looked too comfortable to move, and Sunset didn’t want to disturb her. Gilda was wearing a white crop top under her jacket. Her brown skin shimmered in the light, her toned muscles and rough skin showing the years of toil it had gone through. She wore a pair of blue jeans which well worn, and loose. Her face was a bit rough and had a rugged surface, with a firm jaw, but it also had a certain elegance to it, well formed and shaped. Her white hair with a purple streak helped with the imposing air she gave off, but Sunset found it graceful in a way. Sunset wondered if she should get the girl’s pants off, but decided against it. She instead opted to just take off her shoes, and drag her up so her head rested on the pillow before putting the blanket over her. She then went off to change her clothes to her nightgown and prepared to go to bed. She thought about sleeping downstairs on the couch and letting Gilda rest, but one, she would probably be chewed out by Gilda. Two, the bed was extremely comfortable. Sunset shrugged and shut the lights in the room before crawling in bed with the girl. She grabbed an extra pillow from the closet and laid right next to her. She could feel Gilda’s heavy breathing as she laid there, staring up at the ceiling. “Sunset …” Gilda muttered before letting out grumble and rolling over. Sunset let out a sigh and rolled to the side away from Gilda to give the girl some privacy. She was then promptly interrupted by having the girl suddenly wrap her arms around her. “Don’t leave …” She muttered. Sunset held her breath as she felt the girl’s heavy breathing on her neck. She started to sweat as she tried to ignore Gilda’s mumblings. She felt the girl let out some sobs and slowly held Gilda’s hand which seemed to stop it. “I’m sorry Gallus …I’ll do better …” Gilda finally sighed. “I have another chance …” The girl muttered. Sunset felt Gilda grip her hand and hold onto it tightly. }}}You should consider this girl for a mate. She is quite reliable.{{{ Sunset couldn’t help but blush. ‘W-what?’ }}}She handled the changelings pretty well. She’s reliable, she’s attractive, and she cares about you. She meets all the requirement for an adequate partner for a witchblade wielder.{{{ ‘Did you comment on previous wielders choice in partners as well?’ Sunset asked while trying to fight off her blush. }}}Yes.{{{ ‘Did they appreciate it?’ }}}Them trying to ignore my helpful advice is on them. I advise you to follow mine.{{{ Sunset rolled her eyes. ‘Whatever.’ Before shutting her eyes and falling asleep. Witchblade Sunset stood in a long golden hallway with a pair of gleaming double doors at the end of it. She heard a voice call out to hall, speaking to her very soul. It was a stern, but dignified voice, with a degree of civility to it. “The witchblade may make you feel powerful, but it takes away more than you could ever imagine.” The voice spoke to her. She felt compelled to walk towards it, and found herself approaching the double doors at the end of the hall. “Where am I?” Sunset asked out loud as the doors of the hall began to open up towards her. It revealed memories of her time as the witchblade, her reign over Canterlot High, and then her banishment from the castle. “Within you …or rather what you can be.” The voice answered. “This is a part of you.” “I don’t understand.” Sunset muttered, a feeling of lightness feeling her, as if she was floating. She couldn’t help herself as she felt a tug at her very soul dragging her towards the double doors. A feeling of relief washed over her mind as the doors opened, letting out a bright light with a figure in the middle. It was in the shape of a tall woman with a sword sitting upon her back, with a mask over her face. Sunset was pulled through the door and abruptly found herself in a small room which looked like an office. There stood the masked woman, Nottingham. Aria Blaze smiled as she approached Sunset, her hand outstretched towards the girl. Sunset felt the witchblade cover her in armor, and a blade formed at her arm which she pointed at the woman. Aria simply smiled as she watched the witchblade suddenly disappear, leaving Sunset in the nude and vunerable. She took another step forwards as Sunset covered her breasts as a dress suddenly appeared and covered her. It was a crimson corset over a white dress which stretched from her neck all the way down, and flowed from her body and into the floor around her. Her stuck up in the air, radiating energy, lighting up the air around her. The white of her eyes were black, her turquoise pupils sticking out with a ruby hue around her eyes. Aria lifted Sunset’s chin up and leaned forwards as her heart pounded in her chest. “You need my help. I can relieve your burden and give you comfort nobody else can.” She whispered as she softly brushed Sunset’s face. Sunset couldn’t help but lean into the woman’s hand before letting out a soft sigh. “But it is a burden only I can bear.” Sunset croaked as a feeling of warmth washed over her. “I’m so tired, but I must. For the good of my family, of my friends. How can I ever live knowing I endangered others?” She sniffed before looking away. “How can I ever live knowing I didn’t help a girl when I could have?” Aria whispered as she brought Sunset’s eyes back to meet hers. “Someone who could finally understand me …who is my equal.” “But I don’t even know who you are.” Sunset whispered as she leaned forwards. Aria paused, and without hesitation, slowly reached over towards her mask and took it off revealing her face. Her purple hair flowed from her head and over her shoulders, her violet eyes looking into Sunset’s turquoise pupils. She smiled and leaned forwards, her lips and Sunset’s almost touching each other. “I once took an oath to only show my face to those who are worthy.” Aria whispered. “I would follow you into hell itself.” “But why?” Sunset asked while shaking her head. “Because our connection is something …that will last-” Aria started until the double doors slammed open, a blinding light escaping from it. The two turned to stare at what came through until- Witchblade “FOREVER!” Aria Blaze shouted as she sat up in her bed, covered in sweat. She felt her heart beat as she touched her lips, the sensation still there. The dream felt so real, like the girl was right in front of her. She looked to her dresser and saw her mask still laid on the top of it. She got up from her bed and walked over towards her mirror and stared at the reflection which looked back at her. She then turned around and walked to her dresser and took off the mask which sat on the top of it. Aria closed her eyes as she took in a deep breath as she gripped it in her hands. She then turned to look out the window as a name sat upon her lips. Aria gripped her heart to still it as she stared out into the night sky. She let out the name that sat upon it, which was barely a whisper. “Sunset shimmer.” Author's Note Hello there Hi As you can probably tell by now, but I am awful at writing fight scenes. I wasn't sure how to demonstrate the witchblades powers and make Sunset Shimmer fight off multiple changeling drones as well. Also, if you couldn't tell, I like the Gilda and Sunset Shimmer ship. The reason why I wanted to pair Sunset Shimmer and Gilda was because I wanted to make a theme about being better. Gilda is almost always portrayed as a complete sociopath at best and psychopath at worst. I think she deserves better than that, especially since in the show she got marginally better. Also we finally introduced the 7 deadly sins! It was so hard to find the names for the 7 demons. It took me forever looking up different gods from different pantheons, but I finally did it lads. I made the demons. As for the next Story Arc, I am trying my best to follow closely to the Kenneth Irons arc as close as possible, but I will be making some changes since it couldn't do a complete conversion. (Case 1-3: The Masked Woman): The Queen and JesterSunset Shimmer sat a the table as she thought about the dream she had last night. The dream about the woman who had stabbed her, who attacked her, and who attacked her friends, and how she felt in that dream. She clenched her teeth down in frustration as she chastised her brain for making such fantasies about the person who almost killed her. She wanted to bang her head on the table when Gilda walked in, rubbing her head and shifting awkwardly. “So …” Gilda muttered as she sat at the table, sitting in front of Sunset. “About last night …” The girl mumbled. Sunset let out a snicker. “Was it about how your arms were around my chest and your face was in my neck?” She asked with a bit of a blush. Gilda’s face turned hot red as she turned away. “N-no it’s just …well I mean you are …look.” The girl stammered as she tried to get a sentence out, but failed spectacularly. “It’s okay.” Sunset smirked as she looked down at her bowl of cereal. “You warmed me up during the cold night.” She snorted. Gilda shook her head as she leaned back in her chair. “So. Are we going to investigate Anon-A-Miss today?” She asked, desperate to try and switch the topic to something else as quick as possible. Sunset paused for a second as she deliberated on what to tell Gilda. She reached for her glass of water and took a sip from it before putting it down. She took in a sharp breath before answering. “Not today. I have something else.” Sunset explained. Gilda raised an eyebrow as she leaned over the table. “Well. Then I’ll come with.” The girl offered. Sunset shook her head though. She didn’t want Gilda to get hurt or be endangered anymore than she already had. She couldn’t go to home anymore due to it not being safe anymore, so Sunset didn’t want to risk it. “No …it’s something I have to do alone today.” She explained. Gilda leaned forwards. “Out of the question.” She scowled. “We have people hunting us. It’s best that we go together.” “No it …it’s personal.” Sunset put her hands up before standing up. Gilda stood up with her, causing her to let out an exasperated sigh. “I appreciate your concern for my safety but I have it under control.” She tried to reassure the girl. “No!” Gilda snapped, causing Sunset to jump a little. “You are doing it again! Running into situations without getting a full view of what is going to happen!” The white haired girl started to pace around the room, grumbling before throwing a hand up. “What if where you are going is a trap?” “It’s not.” Sunset sighed. “And how do you know?” Gilda looked over her shoulder, staring Sunset in the eye. Sunset was silent as she tried to think of a reasoning without mentioning the witchblade, or how she snuck out at night and went over to save Pinkie Pie. She closed her eyes and sucked in some air before walking up towards Gilda before taking her hand. Gilda seemed surprised as Sunset grasped the girl’s hand into hers. “Gilda …trust me please.” She closed her eyes. “You can’t follow me everywhere. I know you want to but …I’m not helpless.” She reopened her eyes and looked Gilda in the eyes. “I’m not Gallus.” That seemed to be the wrong thing to say because Gilda’s expression immediately turned dark before yanking her hand away. She turned around, her head down, but Sunset could tell the girl was trying to conceal her rage. “You don’t know anything about him.” She growled. “I understand you lost people in your life.” Sunset tried again, but seemed to get nowhere. “But you can’t just monitor them forever!” She shouted. “It’s not healthy.” “I shouldn’t have told you about him.” Gilda snarled as she threw a hand up in the air. “Look at you, thinking that you’re somehow better than him.” “That’s not what I’m …” Sunset rolled her eyes in frustration as she swung herself around. “You’re just jumping to conclusions because you’re emotional.” She mumbled. “Jumping to conclusions?” Gilda let out a hoarse and low chuckle. Sunset turned around to see Gilda walking up to her. “You’re the one running into danger headfirst!” She snapped. “How am I running into danger?!” Sunset finally exploded. “I fucking saved you! I saved Pinkie! I helped save the entire school ” She roared, putting a finger on Gilda’s chest. “I don’t run into danger, it simply comes to me!” “Have you ever thought to, y’know, stop and analyze the situation first before rushing in first head on!” Gilda roared back. “How the fuck am I supposed to analyze a situation when it’s happening right there and then!” Sunset snapped back. She could feel a flame in her chest suddenly burst out, a spark that had been there since the whole Anon-A-Miss fiasco, finally deciding to explode now of all times. All her frustrations, being accused of a crime she did not do, all the torment she had to go through after the fall formal, and now being wrangled in by a girl who seemed determined to follow her everywhere. Deep inside, she knew that Gilda had good intentions, but she felt as if it was getting ridiculous at that point. “By sitting down and thinking for once!” Gilda finally snapped. “Dammit Gallus you’ll be the death …of me …” The girl suddenly shimmered down, her rage suddenly dissipating into grief as the two girls stood there. Sunset also felt her anger dial down as well as the two just looked at each other in the eye. “Gilda …I-I’m sorry.” Sunset muttered. “Just go.” Gilda muttered before turning around and standing in front of the breakfast table. “Gilda …” “Just go!” Gilda roared. Sunset’s hand fell to her side, but she honored the girl’s wishes and turned around to leave. She walked up to the door and grabbed her jacket off the clothes rack, but stopped at the door handle before looking behind her at the white haired girl who stood in front of the breakfast table. “I’m sorry about Gallus.” Sunset finally got out, but Gilda stayed silent. “But you can’t replace him with me.” She choked out. She turned back to the door, and opened it up. “I’m sorry.” She whispered before leaving the home, leaving Gilda with her thoughts. Gilda collapsed in the chair, alone at the breakfast table. With a shaky hand, she took out her phone and turned on the home page. There laid the photo of her and Gallus as ten year olds, smiling happily in a park. Tears dripped from her face as she tucked her head into her arms, and wept. Gallus was gone …and it broke her heart into two. Witchblade Scootaloo walked through the snow, nervously rubbing her mittens as she made her way to the Rich family estate. She wasn’t sure why Diamond Tiara called everyone for an emergency meeting so early in the morning, but apparently, it was important enough to skip school for the day. The girl had reassured her and the other two members of the Canterlot Movie Club that her mother handled their absence somehow. Scootaloo looked up and saw Sweetie Belle and Applebloom standing in front of the gates, both wearing their winter clothes. Their sisters had both made sure to cover them up as much as possible for the heavy snowfall that day. Sweetie Belle wore a purple and pink winter coat along with a violet scar around her neck. Applebloom wore a red, wool sweater and scarf over another jacket under it. “Have you two rang the bell yet?” Scootaloo asked as she stuffed her hands into her pockets. The two shook their heads as they nervously looked at the gates of the estate. The mansion was three floors high, and towered over them, looming like a bad omen. Its orange roof wasn’t visible under the snow which floated down gently from the clouds above. “We were waiting for you.” Sweetie Belle explained. Scootaloo shifted nervously in her orange fluffy coat and pants, and adjusted her beanie a small bit. “Wanted to go in as a team. Crusaders forever right?” The girl smiled nervously. Scootaloo nodded. “Y-yeah.” She nodded before inching over towards the intercom. She reached forwards, but stopped right in front of the red button that sat in front of them. She turned to the other two. “Do we trust her?” The girl asked. The other two shifted their feet, but nodded their heads. “Well Diamond Tiara has been making effort to change.” Applebloom nodded her head. “Ah trust her.” Scootaloo looked nervously at the intercom again, but took in a deep breath and steeled her resolve. The three knew what they were getting into when they made Anon-A-Miss, and they were ready to see it to the end, whatever it may be. She reached forwards and rang the intercom. A voice came through it as a camera opened up. “Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom I presume?” A feminine voice asked. The three nodded in affirmation to their names. “Wonderful. Please …come in.” The gate opened, revealing the large courtyard in front of the mansion. There was a large fountain in the middle with the driveway circling around it. Bushes shaped in the forms of animals lined the driveway with two ivory statues of ponies sitting in front of the marble double doors at the entrance. The Canterlot Movie Club (CMC) gingerly walked up to the front doors nervously as they tried to ignore the two statues gazes, feeling as if their eyes were following them. The double doors opened up in front of them revealing none other than Diamond Tiara. The girl smiled at the CMC as the three walked into the building, trailing snow behind in their footstep. They stomped off the snow from their boots as Tiara closed the doors behind them before locking it with a ‘click’. “So …” Scootaloo tried to break the ice. “Why did you want us here?” Diamond Tiara shuffled nervously as the three turned their attention to her. “It’s about Anon-A-Miss.” She muttered. “Feeling doubts?” Scootaloo rubbed the back of her head. “Yeah …I understand.” She muttered. “No …not like that …well a little but …” Diamond Tiara stammered before throwing her hands up in the air. She turned around and started towards the staircase. “Follow me.” She finally asked the three girls. Scootaloo started to feel nervous, and from how the other two were also shuffling their feet, she could tell they were feeling the same. Something wasn’t right the moment Diamond Tiara asked them to come to her home for an emergency meeting. She sounded scared, shifty and on edge, and it didn’t bode well for them. However, the three considered the girl their friend, or at least a very close acquaintance ever since the girl had started to change her ways. The three girls followed behind Diamond Tiara up the staircase and all the way up to the third floor. They walked through the carpeted halls, walking by the statues and painting which lined it. Decorative ceiling lamps illuminated the hallway above them, all of them crafted into the shapes of stars. Diamond Tiara stopped at a grayish pink door which she opened up into a large room. In the bank was a large magenta desk in front of a swivel executive chair which was currently empty. However, the object of attention was a black box which sat upon the desk. Scootaloo felt a sense of dread the moment she stepped into the room, a feeling of ill omen. She stopped at the doorway along with Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. They stared at the strange black box which sat upon the desk. It was jagged and rough, and it also seemed to glow at the edges. Somehow, Scootaloo could swear that the object was staring right at her, baring deep into her soul. “What’s wrong?” Diamond Tiara asked as she sat down at a crescent sofa near the doorway. In the middle was a small coffee table which coincidentally had all of their favorite drinks sitting on it. A jar of non-alcoholic apple cider for Applebloom. A large bottle of fruit-punch flavored soda for Scootaloo. A single bottle of sparkling lemon-lime carbonated water for Sweetie Belle, or as Scootaloo knew it as, discount lemon-lime soda, because that was all it was. The fourth was a bottle of pomegranate tea which Diamond Tiara shakily took and poured herself a glass. “Please …sit down.” Diamond Tiara asked, gesturing towards the other side of the sofa. It was hard to see, but Scootaloo could see fear on Diamond Tiara’s face. It was so slight, but the way she pressed her lips together, the way her pupil shivered, how her movements were slow …it was all a red flag. Tiara’s calm expression was forced, her demeanor spoke of someone being forced to dance like a puppet. She should probably turn and run. Dash down the many floors all the way to the entrnace and fly down the street as fast as her legs could take her. She could leave the entire place behind, look away, and cut off Diamond Tiara and hide away safely somewhere. Scootaloo could do that instead of walking forwards. What kind of friend would she be though? Rainbow Dash always spoke of loyalty, of being there for your friends in need. Diamond Tiara was obviously in need, and Scootaloo was never one to back away in fear when faced with danger …at least that’s what she believed. She thought to her idol, Rainbow Dash, wondering what she would do. Rainbow would run in there to help her friend, so Scootaloo steeled her nerves, and took a step in. Scootaloo decided to ignore the fact that Rainbow Dash left Sunset crying in the halls, but that was different because Sunset was a villain. She had never paid for her crimes, and Rainbow leaving the girl was good for her health, well that was Scootaloo's justification, and she didn’t want to think about it too much. “Ah have a bad feeling about this.” Applebloom muttered behind Scootaloo, but she followed. “I don’t want to linger for longer than I want to.” Sweetie Belle nodded. “But this sounds important, let’s hear her out.” The girl whispered back to the red haired girl. Applebloom nodded as she and the other two sat on the other side of the sofa. They sat there in silence and watched as Diamond Tiara slowly poured their favorite drinks into three glass cups. She then pushed the cups towards them and gestured towards it as if asking them to drink. Scootaloo hesitated as her hand hovered over the glass, wondering to herself if it was poisoned, or if her paranoia was getting to her. She looked up and saw Diamond Tiara drink down the entire glass in one gulp. She then grabbed the pomegranate tea bottle and held it up to her glass cup as if wondering if she should pour another one. Tiara then decided against it and just lifted the bottle up to her mouth and started downing it like it was the end of the world. Scootaloo gingerly took her glass and drank it down slowly, tasting every drop in case there was something strange within it. The other two girls did the same, and there they sat, drinking the day away on soda, tea, and non-alcoholic apple cider. The CMC finished first, and Tiara finished last after her bottle ran out. She put it down on the table with shaky hands, but more disturbance, tears flowing down her cheek. She let out a small hick before wiping her eyes. At that moment she finally broke down, hiccuping and sobbing while crying out indecipherable words. Scootaloo rushed forwards and grabbed Diamond Tiara’s shoulder gently with Sweetie Belle and Applebloom right behind her. “What is wrong Tiara?” Sweetie Belle asked quickly as Diamond Tiara wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry.” Diamond Tiara sniffed. “I’m sorry for dragging you into Anon-A-Miss …I’m sorry for everything.” She choked out. “What are you talking about?” Applebloom scoffed. “It was us three that made Anon-A-Miss.” The girl forced a smile as she placed a soft hand on Diamond Tiara’s other shoulder. “Don’t blame yourself for our idea.” Diamond Tiara shook her head. “But I made you three take it further.” She choked out. She let out a shaky breath. “I’m sorry …” The girl looked away, tears streaming down her face. “You should not have come …” She trembled. “What do you mean?” Sweetie Belle asked, her expression warping into fear before the room door slammed shut. All three of them jumped up in shock at the sudden slam behind them. Sweetie Belle rushed forwards, and pulled on the doorknob. “It’s locked shut!” She cried out. Scootaloo grabbed Diamond Tiara by the collar and lifted her up as far as she could. “What …what did you do!?” The girl roared in anger, her hand shaking as she tried to resist shaking Diamond. Diamond Tiara only let out another sob as Scootaloo tossed the girl to the side, slamming her into the couch. “Don’t blame my daughter.” A voice suddenly spoke out. The CMC looked over towards the desk in the room, and saw smoke condense at the chair. It formed a figure before a grayish pink woman materialized in the seat. Her expression was harsh, her jaw clenched, and stature was sturn. She wore an opal suit with golden rings around her collar and the cuffs of her sleeves. It was none other than Spoiled Rich, the matriarch of the Rich household. Spoiled Rich stood up, and the three girls rushed into the center of the room to face her. Diamond Tiara got up gingerly and walked up to the desk with her head down, her entire body quaking. “Diamond Tiara.” Spoiled smiled. “You did well.” “P-please don’t hurt them mother.” Diamond Tiara shook. “I did as you asked. Please dispel the rune.” The girl parted her shirt a little revealing the sigil placed over her sternum. The figure of a black peacock sat in the middle. “Of course.” The woman gave a cruel grin as she walked around the desk, towards the CMC. On her way, she picked up the black box off the top before approaching the three freshman who slowly backed away from her. “Spoiled Rich.” Scootaloo sneered. “What have you done to Tiara?!” She roared, holding her stance in front of Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. Her legs trembled no matter how hard she tried to still her frantically beating heart as adrenaline coursed through her entire body. Her brain screamed for her to run away, to pound at the door and cry out for help. “Scootaloo …ever the dissident.” Spoiled scoffed as she stood in front of the CMC. She glowered over them, her presence overwhelming them. Scootaloo was extremely afraid, there was no doubt about it. But she remembered what Rainbow Dash always said, that bravery was acting in the spite of fear, not the absence of it. “Whatever yah did to Tiara …” Applebloom stepped forwards. “We’ll stop yah!” She shouted. “How charming.” Spoiled Rich rolled her eyes. She then raised a leg to the side before kicking Applebloom hard into the war adjacent to them. Everyone in the room froze, with a sadistic grin plastered over Spoiled’s face. “Mother! You promised!” Diamond Tiara rushed forwards, but was quickly knocked into the desk with a kick so quick, it looked as if the wind itself slapped the girl away. “I lied.” Spoiled Rich shrugged. “The moment you associated yourself with …” The woman gestured towards Scootaloo. “With PEASENTS …was when you lost all respect from me.” The woman said while shaking her head. “DAMN YOU!” Scootaloo rushed forwards but was knocked by a heavy whiplash which slammed her into the door. She felt a sharp pain in her back which knocked the air out of her as she felt a doorknob slam into her spine. She collapsed into a heap, her head hung down as she tried to regain her senses back. “We are ABOVE THEM!” Spoiled roared at her daughter as Tiara shakily got up from the ground. Spoiled glared down at Sweetie Belle who shook, slowly backing up to the door, tears trailing down her cheek. The woman gave a smile as she slowly approached Belle. “Where is your pride Tiara?” Spoiled shook her head. She opened the black box in her hands which let out large clouds of black smoke. Sweetie Belle turned around and tried to run towards the door but was interrupted as a black tendril struck her through the heart spilling blood all over the ground. “Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo cried out as she lunged forwards, tears in her eyes as she tried to grab ahold of the girl. She wasn’t sure what to do, but all she could think of was to grab Sweetie Belle and pull her away from the woman. A tendril struck her through the stomach, causing Scootaloo to cough up blood as four more grabbed each of her limbs. She was thrown into the ground and pinned there, as she felt the tendrils shove its way through her body. She convulsed in pain letting out a silent cry while gasping for air as her body felt as if it was being ripped apart piece by piece. In the corner of her eye, she witnessed Applebloom enveloped by a blanket of shadows which slowly tightened, crushing the girl in a cold embrace. Scootaloo let out a sob while Diamond Tiara looked on in horror at what her mother was doing to her friends. “Mother!” Diamond Tiara cried out before collapsing to her knee. “Why? You said you were just going to imprison them!” She wept as the CMC were slowly consumed by the shadows which billowed out from the dark box. “Daughter …I am imprisoning them in a way.” Spoiled Rich shook her head before reaching into the box and taking out a handful of darkness. She walked up to her daughter who hurriedly pushed herself away up against the desk. Spoiled grabbed Tiara by the neck and lifted her up in the air. Her daughter struggled and gasped for air as her chest moved unnaturally from the ribs she broke after being kicked. Spoiled gripped the angry spirit in her hands as she hesitated, staring her daughter in the eye. For a moment there, a bit of Spoiled Rich seemed to rebel against what she was doing. “I …I’m sorry Tiara.” Spoiled Rich forced out, her face twisting in a snarl as she looked to the side. “I never wanted …this …” The woman struggled as the words weasled its way out of her mouth. “I always thought …in your own twisted way …that you loved me.” Tiara sobbed as she gripped her mothers hand, trying to free herself from its grasp to no avail. The girl’s face was filled with despair as she stared into her mother’s blackened eyes. Spoiled Rich closed her eyes as she tried to force the words from Tiara out of her mind. She could feel Hybris berating her for hesitating, for showing weakness, for letting slip her pride for a single second. The mother shed a single tear, as she forced the demonic spirit into Tiara’s mouth, finally silencing the girl. Witchblade Adagio Irons sat in the conference room with Filthy Rich, Blueblood, Mortuus Amore and Storm Haven. She was tired of the whole meeting as her mind wandered elsewhere. She listened as each one of them made her differing offers with different prices for their business deals. She shifted her mask into a more comfortable position as Filthy Rich went on his presentation on why his oil should cost 16 million dollars when it was worth way lower. To everyone in the room, she was known as the Iron Lady of Canterlot, and she was to remain stoic, her voice calm and collected in order to maintain her appearance. However, everyone in the room thought she was the original Iron Lady’s descendant and therefore would be more gullible. It was difficult to live an immortal life, forced to fake your death every couple of years, but she managed it. “Listen Mister Rich.” Adagio put up a finger. “I am sure we can make a deal about your oil.” She started. However, a certain figure caught her attention. There was a woman peaking around a corner with red and amber hair flowing down and over her shoulders. A small bracelet sat upon her wrist, with a red gem upon it. “Excuse me ladies and gentlemen.” Adagio got up from her chair, shocking the four business people in the room. “A friend dropped by and …” She looked over again and saw that Sunset had dipped back behind the hall. The woman smirked under her mask before sitting back down in her seat. “Apologies. Seems my friend is a bit shy.” She gestured towards Filthy Rich who stood there in front of the presentation board. “Please, continue.” Sunset meanwhile rushed down the hall in a panic as she dashed away. She had felt the woman’s gaze fixed upon her which was something she didn’t want to believe. Somehow, Adagio had noticed her while turned around, and meters away from her. }}}That woman is dangerous. We should leave now.{{{ Sunset heaved as she stopped at the elevator, pressing her hand against the wall. She let out a heavy breath before stabilizing her heart. ‘I am no stranger to magic. Adagio Dazzle from my world is a siren, it is possible this version has some access to magic as well.’ Sunset reasoned. }}}The more reason to get away from her.{{{ ‘But she saved me from the masked woman, the blade of iron or whatever her name was.’ Sunset argued. It was kind of strange arguing with the witchblade in her mind, but she didn’t want to sound crazy talking to herself. }}}I strongly object to this. We shouldn’t stick around.{{{ ‘Just let me think okay?’ Sunset shook her head as she pressed the elevator button. She stepped in and pressed the button on the panel for the first floor. She stood in the cramped elevator, her mind focused on the enigma that was this world’s version of Adagio. She wondered if there was an Aria and Sonata in this world as well, and if this world’s version of Adagio knew those two as well. The elevator reached the first floor so she stepped out. As she did, she heard a conversation being had from two people heading into the elevator next to her. Their faces was obscured but she could see their bodies moving past her. “So Miss Blaze…I heard you have a great sword collection.” A man’s voice was heard as the two people walked into the elevator. “Yes. However, my eyes are only on the blood sword which yet evades my grasp.” A familiar voice answered the man. Sunset’s heart stopped as she quickly turned around in the reception area as the elevator doors began to close. Fear filled her as her heart pounded in her chest. She would never forget the stern and foreboding voice of Nottingham. As the elevator doors closed, through the crack, she was able to see the woman. Upon her face was a mask, it was different from the one Sunset had seen, but it was undeniable. From the small crack she could recognize the posture, the violet and cyan hair color, and most of all, the jade suit. To make things worse, the woman stiffened up as their eyes met for two straight seconds. The two had seen each other, and for Sunset knew the other had recognized her. Sunset backed up before turning heel and running away. She wanted to get as far away as possible from the elevator, from the masked woman, from Nottingham. Her heart pounded in her chest as she ran off, fleeing as quickly as her legs could take her. She pushed through the crowd white taking momentary glances over her shoulder to ensure she wasn’t being chased. Despite never seeing anone, she only ran faster, feeling as if the Nottingham was right behind her. She eventually stopped in front of a coffee shop, dry heaving and panting from the sudden shot of panic that had run through her. She looked around and saw that she had run quite the distance away from the company building of ‘Iron Interational’. She looked around and recognized the part of city she was in, and she knew that she wasn’t far from SugarCube Cafe. After what she had seen, Sunset decided she needed a break. She walked the rest of the way towards the cafe, and when she finally reached it, she walked in and collapsed into the nearest seat that was available. She let out a heavy sigh as she buried her face into her hands. Mrs. Cake eventually approached her and asked what she wanted to drink. All Sunset asked for was a coffee. She then sat in front of her drink as she tried to break down everything that she had seen that morning. Adagio of this world had freakishly long vision, nearly had an encounter with the Nottingham again, and that wasn’t mentioning the bad argument she had with Gilda. She was so lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice the figure approaching her. A small strawberry and mango smoothie was placed in front of her. She looked up to see this world’s Adagio Dazzle looking down at her. The woman gently sat down in the seat in front of her and rest her hands on the back of hands. “I am flattered you came all the way to my office to say good day.” Adagio said as she placed two straws into the drink. The woman looked up at Sunset’s sullen expression. “What is wrong?” She asked. Sunset let out a scoff. “You know what’s wrong.” Adagio nodded slowly. “The witchblade is a terrible burden. I should know.” The woman leaned against her fist, her entire body relaxed as her head was turned up towards the ceiling. “How? Did you wield it?” Sunset scoffed. Adagio just shook her head. “No …” She whispered with sadness in her voice. “But I knew the person who did.” Sunset looked up in surprise as the woman looked down at the table. “Really?” She asked, her curiosity piqued. “Who was she?” Adagio tapped her fingers on the table and simply just let out a sigh. “She was a complicated woman.” The masked woman shook her head. “She was crass, abrasive, and rude as much as she was brave, strong, and loyal.” The woman’s voice seemed to lighten up a small bit as she looked up, her eyes staring off towards somewhere else. “Sounds like you cared about her.” Sunset straightened up as Adagio looked back down at eye level. “What happened?” Adagio stiffened up, and Sunset was worried that she had upset the woman when they finally spoke. It was hollow, empty, a void of a voice when Adagio croaked out. “What happens to every witchblade wielder eventually.” The woman tilted her head a bit to the side. “They perish too young.” Sunset stared down at the bracelet on her wrist. A small bit of dread crawled up her as the human fear of death finally remanifested itself after half a week of being in danger. She was prepared to sacrifice her life for her friends, but to hear that she was doomed to die shook her. A part of her wasn’t afraid, but another dreaded the idea that it was inevitable. “I’m sorry.” Sunset finally managed to get out. Adagio shook her head. “Don’t be.” She let out a heavy sigh as she leaned back in her seat. “It was a long time ago.” “Is that why you have been following me?” Sunset finally asked. “You just appeared out of nowhere when I was fighting that masked woman, Nottingham.” She raised an eyebrow as she squinted at Adagio. “You two also seemed to know each other now that I think about it.” Adagio let out a sigh before nodding her head. “Yes. She was an acquaintance of mine, but her obsession with the witchblade drove her to extreme lengths.” The woman shook her head. “I was upset with her, and had a small discussion after the event.” “Is that why she was in your building?” Sunset scowled, now glaring at the woman. “You know she almost killed me.” Adagio nodded somberly. “Despite her mistake, she is still my sister-in-arm. I hope you can find it in you to forgive her transgression against you.” The masked woman bobbed her head a little. “I understand if you don’t.” Sunset clenched her teeth, but managed out, “Fine.” She shook her head. “I’ll try.” Adagio nodded her head before leaning forwards. “I am here because I want to help you.” The woman finally explained. Sunset looked up and met Adagio’s eyes. Her voice sounded genuine, but there was something off about the woman, something hidden. “And how will you do that?” Sunset asked. Adagio opened up her arms. “I have something to show you. Will you follow me?” The woman asked. }}}Sunset. Think about this.{{{ Adagio placed a hand upon Sunset’s hand and gave her a soft smile. She felt a warmth emitted from the woman’s hand as it made its way up to her bracelet. The red gem glowed a bit before dimming down. “Can you give me a chance to explain myself at least?” Sunset froze at those words as she felt her resolve soften a little bit. She had asked those same words before during the beginning of the Anon-A-Miss fiasco. She knew what it felt like to not be able to explain oneself. So she looked up, gave a small smile and nodded. “Yes.” Witchblade Gilda scowled as she sat on the couch in front of the television. She rubbed her eyes as she tried to peel her mind away from Sunset, however, it kept making its way to her. She shook her head, trying to insist that it was Sunset who was being unreasonable, but a small part of her asked if there was some truth in her words. The girl got up off the couch and made her way towards the wardrobe in the living room. Principal Celestia had cleared the bottom drawers to make room for Gilda’s things and moved it downstairs for her. Gilda put her most precious belongings in the drawers since it had a lock, with one of them being a small black box she always kept with her. She took the box out and reached down to open it up before pausing. Bad memories rushed into her, causing her to flinch and shut her eyes. “RUN GILDA!” Gallus’s voice mixed with her parent’s. Her hand shook as she slowly opened the black box revealing the contents within it. A gauntlet with silver talons stretching out of its fingers sat above everything else. The rest was a small photo, a card, a silver pistol, and most important of all, Gallus’s spear tip. She reached in and took out the photo, thinking back to old memories. It was a younger version of her standing next to Gallus. The light blue boy had cyan and yellow hair with a navy sports jacket over a yellow shirt. He wore dark blue jeans and cobalt shoes with gold stripes along it. The boy had a shit-eating grin on his face and was missing a tooth. They had their arms around each other while facing the camera. Large smiles sat on their faces as an older woman stood behind them. The woman had dark orchard skin and a dark rose mohawk. She wore a dark purple military uniform with plum coloured lightening bolts stiched on her pants and jacket where the knees and elbows were. She had a suppressed smile, but her opal eyes sparkled. Her eyes shifted down at the card which sat at the bottom of the box. It read ‘Ogranization of Supernatural and Otherwordly Disasters’ upon it, or OSOD for short. Gilda scowled as she put the photo down and instead took out Gallus’s spear tip. She put it against her forehead and let out a sob as she remembered the days before the disaster. “I’m sorry Gallus.” Gilda sobbed. “I’m sorry I tried to replace you …to move on from you.” She let out a suppressed cough. “It’s just too painful.” Her crying was interrupted by the doorbell ringing. She put the speartip away into the box and shoved it into the drawer before locking it. “Who is it?!” She exclaimed loudly. “It’s me Gilda!” Sunset’s voice called out from the other side. “Sunset?!” “Fuck off!” Gilda scowled. “Come on! Don’t be like that!” Loud banging followed afterwards. “Why are you so mad?!” “You know why!” Gilda shouted. “Come on …I forgot my key!” More pounding on the door. “Please let me in?!” Sunset cried out again before the doorknob rattled loudly. Gilda rolled her eyes at Sunset thinking that somehow that by shaking the doorknob, it would magically open. “Why didn’t you bring your key with you?” Gilda snapped as she stood up from the floor. She walked up to the front door and leaned against it. “Don’t you always bring it with you?” There was silence from Sunset, and Gilda could hear shuffling from the other side. She raised an eyebrow as she looked through the peephole. In front of the door was Sunset idling around, shifting her feet and wringing her hands. There was something different about her though, something that made Gilda suspicious. “I thought your winter jacket was destroyed in the warehouse explosion.” Gilda said as she finally remembered what had happened a couple days ago. This seemed to catch Sunset off guard who twiddled her fingers. “W-well …I bought a new one.” Sunset chuckled as she tugged at her blue sweater. “Also …what happened to your jacket? The one you wearing this morning?” Sunset paused for a minute. “I lost it?” Before she gave off a sheepish smile. “Okay then …last question.” Gilda narrowed her eyes as Sunset stiffened up. “Come on …” Sunset whined but Gilda interrupted her. “One question, and I’ll let you in.” Gilda scowled. Sunset nodded sheepishly as pressed her legs together, and shuffled awkwardly. “Okay, I mean I don’t see why but I respect your decisions.” She mumbled under her breath. “Who is Anon-A-Miss?” Gilda asked. Sunset paused there as she put a hand up to her chin, rubbing it a bit. “Trick question.” She finally snapped her fingers. “You think it’s me, but it really isn’t me!” Gilda turned around and ran from the door, and dashed towards the dining room. She had left her phone in there, and needed to call the cops. She had to assume the cops outside guarding the house was dead at this point, and she didn’t want to take the risk. When she reached the table though, a figure dashed past her, and in a split second, her phone disappeared. “What the?” Gilda muttered before hearing the door click. She turned around to see a light magenta girl with light and pale blue streaked hail standing at the front door. She wore a bright grayish magenta jacket over pale orchid pants. On her wrists were two gauntlets which covered both of her hands. The girl opened the door wide open, letting a black, insect-like bipedal creature into the house. Gilda stepped back in shock as she noticed, that in the girl’s other hand, was her phone. “Gilda.” The insect stuck out its claws. “Calm down.” Gilda wasn’t listening at that point though as she made a mad dash over towards the wardrobe. Her reflexes sprung into high gear as she opened up the bottom compartments and took out the black box. She opened it up and put on her gauntlet as fast as she could. She stood up from the ground as fast as she could only to suddenly be pushed backwards into the wardrobe. She let out a squawk as a hand pinned her left hand, where her talons was on, and another hand pressed her neck against the wardrobe. The impact knocked the wind out of her, and the speed at which everything happened was blindingly fast. She looked down to see the light magenta girl looking up at her. “Silverstream! We are here to help her!” The insect-like creature scolded as it walked up to the girl. It placed a claw on her shoulder. “Let her go.” The girl scowled, but obeyed and let Gilda fall to the ground, gasping for breath. “I expected more from a Valkyrie.” Silverstream sneered before walking up to the black carapaced insect. “She’s all yours Thorax.” Thorax let out a sigh while Gilda slowly got up from the ground. “You okay kid?” The creature asked. Gilda scowled and swung at him, but he had enough reflexes to back off real quickly. “Woah. Okay …some hard feelings.” “Told you your plan sucked.” Silverstream rolled her eyes while she quickly paced around the room, up the stairs, back down the stairs, before spinning in the middle of the room. The girl’s attention span also had the tendency to switch from a painting to the room, all the way to finding a lighter and trying to set a banana on fire. “W-who are you people?” Gilda gasped as she shakily stood up. She looked at Thorax, noticing that even though the creature had a carapace, it bended and moved like a fluid, and less like skin or a shell. Thorax raised an eyebrow as he rubbed one of his tooth. “Don’t you recognize me?” The creature started to shift in front of Gilda, causing her to recoil back in shock. The creature shifted into the form of a man wearing a black leather jacket with spiked hair over the center of his head. He looked like the gang members that assaulted Gilda and Sunset back at the diner, but this one looked familiar in a different way. “Thor?” Gilda whispered. “Thor?” Silverstream chuckled as she quickly jogged up next to Thorax. “That’s your name?” The girl paced in place quickly, her legs moving up and down every second. “I’m not a creative person.” Thor scoffed while Gilda simply just glared at the creature. “You …” She hissed. Thor turned his attention back to Gilda, stepping back as the girl fumed at him. “You framed Sunset!” She snapped while taking a step forwards. Silver stream put her hands out and knelt down into what looked to be a combat stance. “I didn’t!” Thorax threw his hands up in the air. “Ok I provided some of the photos, but other than that I have no connections to Anon-A-Miss!” “Then who is she?!” Gilda snapped loudly. “Sunset is running off into danger due to this person!” Gilda turned away as she leaned against the wall. “It has affected her so much, she isn’t even willing to look for help.” “That may not be the reason.” Silverstream stepped forwards, getting Gilda’s attention. “Though I don’t know who started the account, I do know who is sponsoring it.” The girl explained. This caused Gilda’s heart to race as she approached the woman. “Who is it?” Gilda asked. Silverstream chuckled before turning towards Thorax. “See how easy it was?” The girl gestured towards Gilda. “You see, if we were just upfrom about all of this, this could have gone in a much more friendly fashion.” “The plan sounded good in my head …” Was all Thorax got before Gilda roared out- “Who the hell is Anon-A-Miss!” Getting both of their attention. “Well …you already met her.” Silverstream shrugged as Gilda’s expression turned to one of confusion, before switching into horror. “The Iron Lady of Canterlot City. Adagio …” Witchblade Sunset followed behind Adagio as they approached a pair of double doors. The woman opened it up, revealing a large gallery of different women, artifacts and weapons. Sunset opened up her mouth in wonder as she wandered in, nearly missing the two guards who stood on both sides of the door. The two guards wore black armor with spikes sticking out of the back. Their face was covered up in large obsidian helmets which only allowed their green eyes to glow through. They wielded large green spear whose tips crackled with energy. The two gripped their weapons before Adagio raised up a hand, causing them to stand down. “What is this place?” Sunset wondered as she started to look at each painting. “A gallery of some of the most famous witchblade users.” Adagio said with pride in her voice as she started to point at each of them. “These are some of the most famous witchblade wielders, whose name were written down as legends in history.” Adagio continued as she started to point at each of the paintings. Sunset followed the woman as she was directed at each one of the wielders. “We have Mulan, the defender of China.” Adagio pointed at a painting of an Asian woman who stood in front of a large dragon. She wielded two long swords, her arms were covered by the witchblade, but it extended around her neck and up to her face. Other than that, she was mostly covered by jade and red, cord and plaque armor. “Zara, the dreaded queen of bones.” The next was a painting of a woman wearing crimson armor. The witchblade seemed to merge with her armor, her arms were raised up with a manic smile upon her face. She stood on a mountain of corpses, holding the upper half of a man who looked to be covered in green and silver. Sunset cringed at the painting, as the woman’s expression reminded her of herself when she first won the spring fling. “And of course, Joan of Arc.” Adagio continued. However, Sunset noticed that she passed by one of the paintings and moved her hand over towards the last one. The painting she pointed at was a woman wearing medevil armor, with a sword raised up high. “I’ve never heard of these people before.” Sunset muttered as she approached the third painting. “How could that be if they were so influental?” She asked. “These were their secondary names.” Adagio raised a hand up to her chin. “I never understood it as well.” The woman looked up at the painting of Joan of Arc, her mask covering her expression, but yet she seemed lost in thought. “This one’s name was Noble Grace.” “I’ve heard of that name before.” Sunset nodded slowly as she turned her attention to the other two paintings in the room. “She was a Prench general who led them during the hundred year war.” She remembered from her history class. She pointed at the other two paintings in the room. “Is it the same for them?” She asked. Adagio nodded. “Mulan was known as Wood Orchid, and Zara was known as Radiant Flower.” Adagio let out a small chuckle as she nodded somberly at the two paintings. “It seems that many of the witchblade users had secondary names, their ‘true names’.” Adagio explained. “Do I have a ‘true name’?” Sunset snorted. Adagio simply shrugged in response. “Who knows. It’ll come to you one day if you do have one.” The woman teased. Sunset looked back at the third painting in the room that Adagio had passed by. It was a painting of a woman in golden armor who wielded a large golden spear and shield, with her boot fimly planted on the neck of a dead dragon. A large smile was plastered on her face as she raised her blood spear up into the air. However, Sunset noticed that there were two figures standing behind her, a woman with orange hair wearing medieval armor, and a man clad in black iron armor. “Who is she then?” Sunset pointed at the third painting. Adagio looked over her shoulder, and immediately her shoulders sagged. Sunset recoiled as Adagio slowly walked up to the third painting, her posture becoming stiff and strained. The woman’s breathing was shaky, as if holding back a sob. “Katarina Godlife, or what she was known as …Puresoul.” Adagio whispered. “She was always the reckless individual.” She sniffed. “Is …is that you?” Sunset whispered, pointing at the orange haired woman in the background. Adagio chortled. “Yes.” She nodded before pointing at the man clad in black iron armor. “And that is Spawn.” “When was the painting made?” Sunset whispered as she slowly turned towards Adagio. “During the third crusade.” Adagio nodded. Sunset took a step back, shock rippling through her as she tried to process the information. “About nine hundred years ago.” “H-how?” Sunset asked as she turned back to the painting. “Magic.” Adagio answered slyly, mischief hiding within her voice. “The holy grail itself.” “That exists?” Sunset asked with wonder. Adagio nodded as she walked up to three pedestals that were situated in the far back of the room. The objects on the three pedestals were each locked in a separate obsidian box. She opened the one on left, and took out a small, iroon, plain goblet. It looked like any other goblet, and could easily blend in on a shelf with cheap iron cups. “It looks so plain.” Sunset said as she took the goblet out of Adagio’s hand, looking at it with wonder. “Are you sure this is the holy grail?” She asked. “True objects of power, do not betray their worth in their appearance.” Adagio said with a lifted finger as she gently took the holy grail out of Sunset’s hand. She looked down at the holy grail with nostalgia as she gently carrassed it. “Even I could not believe it when I first laid my eyes upon it.” Sunset wrung her hands as she stared down at the object in amazement before gazing up in Adagio’s eyes through her mask. The woman’s eyes seemed soft and gentle, it reminded her of Princess Celestia’s gaze whenever Sunset spoke with her mentor. Adagio’s mouth eyes narrowed and moved up from Sunset’s chin, all the way up to her eyes. “Only those with pure faith could drink out of it.” Adagio explained before placing the grail back into its vault. “It granted me and my sisters immortality.” The woman closed her eyes before letting out heavy sigh. “I understood why many years later.” “What happened?” Sunset asked. “Immortality is a burden.” Adagio opened her eyes yet again. “You see so many people be born and die. Despite all your efforts, you can’t save them.” She shook her head slowly. “One requires faith and will beyond measure in order to be worthy of the gift.” “Why?” Sunset let out a scoff as she threw her hands up in the air with an exasperated smile. She turned towards the entire gallery in awe, laying her eyes on all the paintings of the other wielders in the past. “Why help me? Why collect all of this?” “Because I knew a witchblade wielder back in the day.” Adagio answered simply, waving a hand in the air. Sunset could see pain in the woman’s eyes as they placed a soft hand upon her cheek. “And I made a promise.” She whispered while brushing Sunset’s hair to the side. Sunset smiled as she looked into the woman’s eyes, not noticing the door at the side of the room creaked open. It was open enough for an eye to look through while remaining unnoticed, the figure’s face being obscured by a mask. Aria Blaze looked through the crack as she eavesdropped and spied on the two figures in the room. Aria narrowed her eyes, focused on the girl in the room. She stared at the girl, feeling an attraction, and obsession towards her. She wanted to jump out and strike at Adagio before confessing to the girl, but even she knew that was foolish. She had to bide her time and wait for the right moment. Aria knew that Adagio’s words were poison, venom seeping into the flesh and mind of the girl. She was presenting herself as a godly figure, a mentor, a savior to get the girl’s admiration, before then striking. Aria knew this because she had seen it play out hundreds of times before, and she was always the executioner. “The burden is immense Sunset.” Adagio finally told the girl. Sunset looked up in surprise, before it morphed into what looked to be annoyance. Adagio simply smiled at the expression. “Yes, I was able to figure out your name. I was able to figure out the name of your friend, Gilda, I can figure out yours.” “The burden is mine to carry.” Sunset looked away from Adagio, and taking a few paces back. “The witchblade yes, but not everything else.” Adagio walked up behind Sunset and hugged the girl. Sunset jolted at the sudden gesture, but didn’t pry herself away from the woman, rather putting a hand upon the woman’s arms. “Let me help you …please. I’m here for you.” There was a minute of silence before Sunset spoke up again. “Let me think about it.” Sunset finally muttered. “I don’t want to bring people into unnecessary danger.” “I can take care of myself.” Adagio reassured the girl as she let go of the hug. Sunset turned towards the woman, who just gave her a warm smile. “Whatever your decision is, I will respect it.” Yes, respect the decision as long as it is the right one, as long as it is the one that Gilda desires to be correct. Aria could see Adagio’s temptation, her impatience at seeing her prize so close to her, just within her grasp. She knew her sister long enough to see beneath the woman’s mask and gestures, to know what her true intentions were. “Why do you wear the mask? You didn’t wear it that night.” Sunset asked Adagio finally. “I made a promise to only show my face to worthy people.” Adagio answered. She reached up to her mask and slowly took it off to the shock of Sunset. A soft expression rest upon her face, with kind eyes who looked into Sunset’s iris. She brushed Sunset’s face with a soft hand who just stood there, staring at the woman with awe. “You like what you see, Miss Shimmer?” Adagio asked, causing the girl to look away in embarrassment. Sunset was sure that the woman was going to continue to tease her when Adagio’s phone started to beep. Adagio let out a sigh as she took out her phone. “Sorry …business meetings …” Adagio shook her head as she placed her mask back upon her face. “They will be the end of me.” Sunset smiled. “It’s okay. It was time for me to leave anyways. I’ve took enough of your time.” The girl said as she followed Adagio out of the gallery while Aria simply watched from the side door. “Sunset …” She whispered. Witchblade “Are you sure this is where you want to be dropped off at?” Adagio asked Sunset as they both stood in the park. Sunset looked out at the lake in front of them and gave the woman a small smile. “Yes.” Sunset nodded as she admired the view in front of her. The lake was always beautiful in the afternoon. The orange and yellow sunset reflected off the water, and it filled her with a warm feeling. “It’s a good place for me to think, to ponder.” She admitted as she sat down at a park bench. Adagio nodded in agreement. “I agree.” She whispered. “I hope you allow me to assist you Sunset Shimmer. I hope we’ll see each other again.” The woman bowed her head before starting to walk off. Sunset Shimmer remembered at that moment that she never gave the woman her phone number and address. She jumped up from the bench and rushed towards Adagio before grabbing the woman’s hand who had just turned around with a finger up. “Wait, let me give you my address at least.” Adagio raised an eyebrow as Sunset reached into her pocket and took out a small notebook she always made sure to keep on her ever since the Anon-A-Miss incident. She wrote her address before quickly handing it to the woman with haste. Adagio took the paper slowly and looked down at it before putting it safely in her front pocket. “My phone is currently destroyed, but I plan to get it replaced.” Sunset rubbed the back of her head nervously. “So if you need to contact me, you’ll need to come in-person.” Adagio nodded slowly. “I can manage that.” She said with a gentle tone. She then met Sunset’s gaze. “I wanted to ask if you wished to come to a ball tonight.” Sunset did a double-take at the sudden proposal. “W-what?” She asked while Adagio leaned against a tree. She stared out at the lake and let out a small chuckle. “I know it’s sudden, and you barely know me.” Adagio let a small laugh but ended it with a heavy sigh. “But if you could make it …it would be my honor.” The woman nodded. Sunset gave an awkward laugh as she looked out at the lake. “I’ll …think about it.” She muttered as she sat down on a bench which looked out at the lake. “When is it?” She asked. “It starts at eleven P.M.” Adagio answered. She walked off and Sunset watched the woman as she made her way back to her car. “I’ll send someone to get you.” Was the last thing she said before getting into her vehicle. She then drove off, the car disappearing down the street while Sunset watched. She turned back to the lake, taking in its natural beauty. She got up from the bench and began walking on the side of the bank while trying to sort our her feelings. It just seemed like everything was moving so fast for her. She looked down at her wrist where the witchblade rested. It was strangely silent, not saying anything during the entire time Sunset was with Adagio. She enjoyed the silence however, choosing to dwell within her own thoughts and take in the ambient atmosphere. She made her way around the small lake and found herself standing in a small Gazebo that sat over the water. She couldn’t help but smile as she leaned against the railing to take in the view. It didn’t last long before her senses perked up. She looked over her shoulder towards some bushes which sat behind the structure. Sunset narrowed her eyes as she focused intensely at the plantlife. She began to shake as she imagined Nottingham jumping out, and striking at her before taking her life. As nothing happened, she began to relax. Right then, a shadowy figure darted between the bushes. Sunset got up quickly, adremdaline rushing through her veins. She willed the witchblade to activate, but the metal only extended over her right arm, leaving the rest of her body exposed. ‘Witchblade! I need your help!’ She exclaimed in her mind to no response. She clenched her teeth as she hoped that the artifact still worked even without the entity inside being sentient. She pointed her finger and was about to shoot fire before she remembered what happened last time when she did that. She clenched her teeth, she had to be more creative, and find a way to get around the woman’s habit of absorbing her powers. Her imagination was the limit, so she imagined shooting darts out. Nottingham dashed out from behind a tree and rushed her down the path. Sunset clenched her teeth and fired out small metal darts at the woman’s chest. Despite Sunset being sure hitting Nottingham, the woman continued to rush her, tackling her into the ground. Sunset struggled as she tried to push Nottingham off her. The woman’s mask bared into her, its rough and twisted exterior mimicking that of a demon. “Don’t-unf-fight me!” Nottingham grunted before Sunset kicked her right in the womanhood. Sunset managed to slip out while her attacker began to regain her breath. She turned around to see that just as quickly as she had slipped away, Nottingham had disappeared. Sunset pointed her gauntlet out like a child playing with finger guns as she turned around looking for the assassin, her heart racing in her chest as memories of their last encounter rang in her head. “You play dirty.” Sunset heard behind her. She looked over her shoulder to see Nottingham squatting down on the railing. “I like that in a woman.” Nottingham jumped at Sunset with her arms raised up. Sunset formed a blade on her right hand and swung at the woman, who just simply ducked under it. The woman responded by kicking Sunset’s feet from under her, causing her to fall to the ground. Sunset began to get up, but Nottingham pinned her down, pressing her against the ground. Sunset struggled, but was pushed down again. Nottingham leaned forwards next to Sunset’s ear and hissed out. “Miss Shimmer, I just want to talk!” Witchblade After Nottingham let Sunset go, the woman spoke to her, telling her of the true nature behind Adagio Irons. Nottingham told Sunset that the woman was obsessed with the witchblade, believing it contain the soul of a woman named Katarina Godlife. Adagio believed she could bring back the wielder, and place the soul within a host through a sort of spell that could control the witchblade. Sunset looked away, not wanting to believe the woman’s words. Nottingham had attacked her after all, and Adagio had done nothing but help her, and give kind words the entire time. She clenched her jaw when Nottingham insisted that Adagio was the one who set up the attack on the Pie residence, and that she worked for Adagio. Sunset turned towards Nottingham. “How do I know I can trust you?” She asked the masked woman. She looked over her shoulder. “What about the warehouse? Why were you working with demons? Why were you working with changeling drones?” She demanded to know. “You know what changelings are?” Nottingham tilted her head a bit. Sunset nodded. “I have seen those insect like features before. I can recognize a humanoid changeling when I see one.” She clenched her jaw. “Why are you even helping me? You tried to kill me!” She exclaimed. Nottingham let out a heavy sigh. “I was overwhelmed by the power. We have both been tricked!” The woman stepped forwards causing Sunset to take a step back. “I do not tell lies. Adagio intended to use me as a host for Katarina, now she aims to make you into it!” Sunset snorted. “This sounds unbelievable.” “But it’s true.” Sunset shook her head, refusing to believe the word of this assassin. “And who even are you?” She snapped. “How would you know all of this? Why would you even work for Adagio?!” Nottingham paused for a second before reaching up to her mask. She took off the black steel mask, revealing her face. Sunset had to step back, seeing the woman standing in front of her was none other than Aria Blaze. “You …” She whispered. Aria nodded. “I am Aria Blaze. Sister of Adagio Irons and Sonata Dusk. Nottingham is simply a title I possess.” The woman stepped forwards and pinned Sunset against a wooden pillar. One hand pressed next to Sunset’s hand, and the other on Sunset’s chin. “I wouldn’t want to lose a pretty face like yours.” The last statement made Sunset grimace at the creepiness of her voice when Aria let it out. She pushed Aria away and looked away and turned to face the lake. “I can take care of myself. I was alone after Anon-A-Miss, but you know about that don’t you.” Sunset hissed. “I just took advantage of it.” Aria reasoned, but Sunset tuned the woman out. “Just leave me alone.” Sunset sneered. There was silence after that so Sunset looked over her shoulder to see Aria Blaze had left. It was as if she was never there, the only sign of her existence, being a gentle breeze passing by. Witchblade Sunset thought about going back to Celestia’s but decided against it. After all, she had made it awkward with Gilda. She felt bad using her dead childhood friend against her, and would have to make it up the girl tomorrow. For now though, she just wanted time to think about everything that had happened to her. However, Aria …Nottingham had given her a lot to think about. She hailed a taxi and decided that it would be good to go back home. As she sat in the taxi, she watched the scenery pass by. The sun was beginning to set, giving the sky a beautiful orange and red glow which stretched over her. She was so entranced, she didn’t even notice when the taxi made it back to her house. When she stepped through the front doors, she noticed how deserted her home looked. She let out a sigh and made her way towards her desk. The board of her investigation into Anon-A-Miss still stayed up there. She grabbed one of the photos and stared at it, thinking back to how she got some parts of her information. She remembered how bad of a headspace she was in during christmas time. Her obsessions into Anon-A-Miss had began at the beginning of winter break, culminating into violent tendencies. She had began shaking people down for answers, suspects into who Anon-A-Miss may have been. She ended up figuring out that Anon-A-Miss got their information from other sources, from people who sent her information. She got that after shaking down a couple of boys that she tracked down and fought before they let out their secret. She tracked them down after following Anon-A-Miss and keeping track of each secret they posted. Then she tracked on who could have possibly known the secret after some investigation, and then confronting them. If she wasn’t hated before, she was sure she had her fair share of enemies right now. “Sorry Shining Armor.” Sunset muttered as she put the photo back onto the board. “But I can’t give up the investigation. I am in it too deep now.” She turned around and walked up the stairs to her bed. She sat down on it and leaned against the window next to her bed. She let out a sigh as she looked at the gently falling snowflakes that trailed down from the sky. She then looked down at the alarm clock on the nightstand to see that it was now 5:00 PM. She turned back to the window, to continue pondering, but that was interrupted by a knock on her door. Remembering that she gave her address to Adagio, she quickly rushed down the stairs to the front door and opened it up. To her disappointment, it was another woman who wore a small pink dress that went down to her knees. In one hand, the woman had a brown paper bag, and in the other she held a think black box with a gold engraving upon it. “Sunset Shimmer?” The woman asked casually. “Um yeah …what do you need?” Sunset asked as she brushed some hair out of her face. “I was sent here by the Iron Lady to come receive you.” The woman said as she placed the brown paper bag on the floor. She extended out the black box and opened it up revealing an amber and crimson necklace sitting within it. “She told me to give you this.” Sunset Shimmer reached forwards and gently took the necklace out of the box. She looked at it with awe as the gems gleamed from the light within her home. “And she also got you this.” The woman reached into the brown bag, taking out a silver box. She opened it up revealing a fiery amber corset and pearl white dress. “She wanted you to wear it to the ball if you chose too.” Sunset was awed by the clothing in front of her, before looking back down at the necklace in her hands. It was beautiful, and looked to be carved out from the very surface of the sun itself from the way it gleamed in the ambient light from the doorway. “It was from Irons ex-wife.” The woman explained, causing Sunset to look up from the necklace in surprise from the statement. “I didn’t know she had a wife.” Sunset gave a weak chuckle. “It was a long time ago. Some even think it was from her great-grandmother. Whoever it belonged to is very special to the Iron Lady’s family.” The woman smiled. “She must really care about you to ask for me to deliver this to you.” Sunset smiled as she looked down at the necklace. “Never took the Iron Lady to be a hopeless romantic.” She chuckled. “It’s a secret only her friends know.” The woman smiled at Sunset. “Will you be joining us today?” She finally asked. Sunset looked up, and made her decision. “Yes.” Witchblade “Pick up!” Gilda shouted as she fiddled with her phone. The name ‘Sunset Shimmer’ sat upon the screen, the ringing going off, but with no response. The call ended, leaving only the voicemail as a result. “PISS!” She roared before throwing her phone into the couch. Gilda collapsed onto the couch, her head in her head while Silverstream lounged with a soda in her hands. “Bad breakup?” The girl mocked, earning a glare from the other silver-haired girl. “Bad time.” Silverstream pursed her lips as she looked away. “Fantastic. Stuck in a room with two mythical creatures.” Gilda gestured at Throax. “A changeling.” She then moved her hand towards Silverstream. “And a cyborg mutant.” “That is demeaning to my true power.” Silverstream snapped. Gilda flipped the girl off. “I can care less about your feelings. I’m worried about Sunset.” She grumbled as she looked through her fingers. “And what the Iron Lady ahs planned for her.” Thorax tapped his finger on the counter that divided the kitchen from the living room. “Well it can’t be that bad if all Anon-A-Miss did was spread some childish secrets.” The changeling shrugged. “We still don’t know what Adagio’s end goal is here though.” Silverstream grumbled. “What does she get from riling up a school?” The girl got up from the couch and started to pace. “And how did she even get access to the school’s inner workings.” “She has agents.” Thorax shrugged. “It’s not that simple.” Silverstream shook her head. “In order to get access to the school’s inner workings, understanding the student’s relationships, and information on the cliques …it requires an agent on the inside.” The girl rambled. “So a student works for her.” Thorax threw his hands up in the air. “She can pay off anyone.” “But who.” Silverstream rubbed her chin. “And why? What is their motive for helping Adagio?” “Money?” “It can only take one so far.” Silverstream shook her head as she leaned against the doorway. “And this account feels malicious, it doesn’t seem the work of someone who was just paid for it. People who are paid are likely to half-ass this.” “And this feels like it’s personal.” Gilda interjected, looking up from her hands. She let out a sigh. “So even if we get rid of Adagio, the account will continue.” Gilda scowled. “And we’re back to square fucking one.” “It’ll be a hit against Anon-A-Miss though.” Silverstream shrugged just as Gilda heard her phone begin to ring. Her heart jumped as she answered the phone while Silverstream finished her thought. “A big hit against Anon-A-Miss. They won’t have their financial support, and friend to cover their ass.” “Quiet!” Gilda snapped as she answered the phone. “Sunset! Where the hell are you!?” She shouted into the phone. “Sunset isn’t home?” Pinkie’s voice asked from the other side of the phone. “Pinkie? What do you mean?” Gilda asked. “I’ve been calling her all day! She hasn’t answered!” Pinkie cried out in a panic. “I heard from Mrs. Cake that she came by today, but after that she just disappeared!” “Fantastic. Hold on.” Gilda covered her phone and turned towards Thorax. “Sunset’s gone. She was last seen at sugarcube corner.” “Gilda!” Gilda heard Pinkie’s voice cry out from the phone. Gilda lifted the phone back to her ear. “Yes, what?” “And she said that Sunset went away with a weird woman! Someone who is called the Iron Lady!” Gida’s heart froze when Pinkie said the name of the woman Sunset went away with. “Sunset went away with Adagio Dazzle.” Gilda told Silverstream and Thorax. “That’s not good.” Thorax walked around the counter. “Whenever Adagio wants something, it’s never any good.” The changeling said. “We need to go if we want to rescue her.” Gilda nodded. “Agreed.” She began to stand up, but was stopped by Silverstream. “Do we really have to though?” Silverstream asked, earning a wrathful glare from Gilda and Thorax. “Hey! We were just assigned to just protect Gilda!” The girl raised her hands up. “And to protect anyone else in Adagio’s sights!” Thorax snapped back. Silverstream let out an exasperated sigh as she sat up from the couch. “You know he just added that because of my failure at the warehouse.” She snorted. “Next time, stop drinking on the job!” Thorax snapped. “Wait …who are you talking about?” Gilda asked, an arm outstretched to Silverstream. Silverstream pursed her lips. “My boss …his name is …gallant.” She said hesitantly, taking her time on each word. She nodded when she said the name with a confident smile. “Yes. Gallant. You don’t know him.” “That name sounds awfully familiar.” Gilda started, but Silverstream jumped up from the doorway. “So rescue Sunset Shimmer!” Silverstream loudly exclaimed. “Let’s go do that. How about we continue this conversation never!” The girl shouted before dashing off. Gilda rolled her eyes before lifting her phone back to her ear. “Listen Pinkie. I’m going to go get her. Stay put.” The girl ordered the party girl. “What? But I want to help!” Pinkie protested. “I already have to deal with one hot-headed girl, I don’t want to have to deal with another!” Gilda exclaimed before hanging up. She put on her talon gauntlet upon her right hand before she turned towards Thorax. “Come on! We have to go!” Thorax nodded, finished a drink off the counter and followed behind Gilda. The two walked out the house to see Silverstream in the driver seat of a light magenta car. It looked to be an older model with its boxy looking exterior. The two approached the car, but was stopped by two police officers, the two who were seated in front of the house. “Where are you going? It’s almost past curfew?” One of the police officers asked. “Sunset is in danger.” Gilda explained as Thorax walked past her and stepped into Silverstream’s car. “I have to go help her.” “Damn.” One of the police officers muttered. “Yeah, that was our suspicion as well. We called in the office. Let us handle it.” They said. “No, you don’t understand, we don’t have time!” Gilda exclaimed as she tried to push forwards. The two police officers stopped her again, in her tracks. “Madam listen, there is an assassin out there swinging a sword that can cut through metal. We don’t need you running into-” The police officer never had time to finish his sentence because gilda grabbed the man by his collar with her talons. “Listen, I'll be DAMNED if I let a girl die when I could’ve done something about it! I’m going to save her if it’s the last thing I do!” Gilda pushed the officer to the side nearly flinging him into the cop car with unnatural strength. As she did so, she felt energy course from her right hand, the one she had put strange artifact on in the warehouse. Gilda walked over towards Silverstream’s car and opened the door. “Sunset Shimmer is at the Iron Lady’s home! Either help or get lost!” Gilda snapped before stepping into the vehicle. “So …where to?” Silverstream asked as Gilda sat in the front passenger seat. “Where is the Iron Lady?” Gilda asked. “Good question.” Silverstream started up the car and moved into the street. “Let’s start at the lady’s home.” The girl said as the car streaked down the street with a loud shriek. “And if she isn’t there?” Thorax asked. “Then I tear up the place.” Gilda swore as the car sped down the road. “I won’t lose another, not again.” Author's Note Hello there Hi. For this chapter, as you can see, I have plans. Plans for the crusaders and Diamond Tiara. EVIL DASTARDLY PLANS. I really wasn't sure how to write this scenes. Fun fact, Indigo and Lemon zap were originally supposed to make an appearance here. They were there to deliver the box to Diamond Tiara's mother to summon out the three demons but the story got too bogged down and too complicated so I had to cut that snippet out. The scene between the crusaders and Tiara were meant to symbolize one final drink before damnation. Now that I reread it, it is a bit clumsy, but I think I got the point across. The three are now deep into the Anon-A-Miss conspiracy. As for the conflict between Sunset Shimmer and Gilda, I drew that from the conflict between Sarah and her partner in the original Witchblade story. It was a bit ...forced ...but I plum ran out of ideas on how to push the story forwards so that's what happened. The scene between Adagio and Sunset basically was how the original panned out in the comic. Fun fact, the reason why Kenneth Irons is immortal is because of the HOLY GRAIL. I couldn't believe it as well, but apparently he and his son is immortal because they were crusaders and found the holy grail and drank from it. The witchblade story can be wild. The scene between Aria and Sunset is how it plays out in the comics. Nottingham gets pissy because he was tortured and immediately became turn coat. (Case 1-4: The Masked Woman): For the GlorySunset Shimmer sat in the crimson limo, unable to sit still as it pulled up to the curb in front of the large, lit up mansion. She awed at the ivory columns, the marble floor, the pearl white walls and stone statues. People lined the walkway, talking and socializing while making their way towards the open double doors. The tiled walkway, the silk curtains, all of it reminded Sunset of Canterlot back home at the palace. “We are here.” The driver announced. Sunset took in a deep breath before stepping out of the limo with Iron’s servant. The older woman smiled as she took Sunset’s hand and lead the girl down the walkway, passing by many of the night’s ball participants. All of them wore masks which covered their face, each one detailed with paint and carvings in the shape of different animals and creatures. Sunset shyly touched her own mask, one in the shape of a phoenix. The feathers were carved into each cheek, the beak and eyes over her nose and forehead. Many of the woman in the crowd smiled and gazed at her as if she was celebrity, or a goddess manifesting herself on the planet. It caused a bit of her old pride to flare up as she brushed her curled hair to the side. “Who is she?” “Marvelous.” “Inspiring.” Those were some of the words Sunset heard, and it made her nearly want to break into tears. The entire winter break, she was berated, insulted and accused of being Anon-A-Miss by other students and even her own friends. Yet here, among strangers, she was being praised, awed, and admired by everyone. It gave her memories as a foal during her times with Celestia at balls. Even then, those were glares of jealousy, and she was constantly insulted behind her back by nobles who thought she could not hear their words. At the gala, everyone constantly gave her back-handed comments and found every opportunity to push her down and criticize her to elevate their own status. Yet in this ball hosted by Adagio, she felt at home, and not a stranger in one of the few moments of her life. When she walked through the double doors, she could see Adagio with a fiery orange and purple suit talking with a dark cyan skinned man. Her two guards stood next to her with their iron gazes focused forwards. The man wore a black tuxedo which had spikes down the middle which matched up nicely with his spikey hair. The mans eyes were vivid opal in color, and he seemed to be in deep conversation with Adagio. The rest of his face was covered by a mask with the talons face of an ant carved upon the surface. “Why who do we have here.” The man immediately turned his attention to Sunset Shimmer. He walked up to her before lifting up her right hand and politely kissing it. “What may your name be?” He asked. Sunset Shimmer invoked all of her training with the nobility when she was a foal studying under Celestia to act like a proper lady, at least what was deemed proper in Canterlot. She hoped dearly that those mannerisms also were mirrored in this world as well. “Perhaps this lady can know the gentleman before she reveals her secrets?” Sunset smiled. The man grinned and bowed. “Pharynx at your service m’lady.” He looked up. “So bright …like the sun itself.” He covered his eyes jokingly and looked away. “It is so blinding …a mortal such as me cannot bear lay my eyes upon such beauty.” The man said in jest. Sunset let out a scoff and gently took the man’s hand. “Oh please, you flatter me too much, it’ll make me blush.” She laughed as Pharynx straightened himself back up. “A worthy praise for someone such as yourself.” Pharynx smiled before Adagio got in between them. “Sunset. I see you have met my useless friend Pharynx.” Adagio smiled as she placed a hand upon the man’s shoulder. Pharynx snickered. “You’re the hopeless romantic.” Pharynx pulled Adagio close, much to the woman’s chagrin. “Did you know she chased after a woman for ten years without any success?” The man laughed. Adagio covered her eyes with her hands and pushed the man away who continued to laugh. “You’re hopeless.” Adagio scoffed. Sunset couldn’t help but smile at the two’s banter as they laughed it off like old friends. Adagio took Sunset’s arms and pulled her forwards. “Care for a dance?” Adagio asked Sunset. Sunset couldn’t help but smile. “Can you keep up?” She whispered. Adagio let out a hearty laugh. “You are challenging the wrong person Miss Shimmer.” The woman warned as she pulled Sunset along into the middle of the ballroom. There were other couples there, but they took the center stage. The took each others hand and shuffled around like the other couples while taking in the smooth music in the background. Adagio’s guards stood on the edges, but Sunset didn’t give them much mind. “You are beautiful …” Adagio started before pausing. “I …see that you are wearing the necklace.” The woman continued after some deliberating. Sunset smiled. “I never knew I was so important to you.” Adagio let out an awkward laugh. “I guess it was quite heavy handed.” “Why didn’t you send it to me yourself?” Sunset asked, curious as she watched the woman struggle internally. Adagio shifted a bit before answering. “Because I knew if I saw you …I would be speechless.” She finally answered. “That was how Pharynx was able to mess with you …I-god this is embarrassing …I was too stunned and froze there.” The woman finally admitted. Sunset smiled and leaned forwards. “Want to get a better view?” She smirked. It was unfortunate that Adagio’s face was completely obscured by her mask, because she would have loved to see the woman’s face after that remark. Unfortunately, she didn’t have time to tease further because Pharynx snapped his fingers and stepped forwards. “Come on! What kind of friends and family reunion is this?!” Sunset and Adagio looked up to see Pharynx stepping next to the band. “Let’s spice this up a small bit!” He pointed finger guns at the drummer. “Come on! Let’s see how fast these love birds can go!” One of the band players shrugged his shoulders. The man began hitting the drums at a faster pace and the rest of the band followed. Everyone at the dance floor began to laugh as they started to pace quicker. Pharynx clapped his hands, and the spectators around the dance followed suit. The music began to weave, twist and turn in a joyful and playful way. The dancers followed suit, turning around more, and pacing in their movements faster, and began to use more complicated dance moves. Some locked arms and spun around, some twriled their partners around, and others switched dance partners in the middle. Soon, people began to exit the dance floor, tired and dizzy, all while laughing. One by one, everyone left, until there was one couple left. Adagio and Sunset were the last ones, the two of them laughing as the music reached its peak, before then ending right there and then. The two parted and bowed to clapping. Sunset couldn’t stop smiling and it seemed Adagio felt the same way because she was doubled over laughing. The two walked back up towards each other, each grasping their hands together. “Thank you Irons.” Sunset smiled. “Call me Adagio.” The woman whispered gently. “Well …you two seem to know what you are doing.” A voice suddenly interjected. The two looked over to see an obsidian skinned woman walking up to them, a smile on her face. She was wearing a teal colored dress that went down to her ankles with a jade crown upon her forehead. She reached out and shook hands with Sunset Shimmer as their eyes met, the woman’s face covered by a mask with the expression of an winged ant carved into it. “Chrysalis Queen. Honor to meet you.” “Chrysalis?” Sunset gasped, unable to hide her shock. The woman nodded. “The CEO of ChangeData itself.” “Pardon my friend's shock.” Adagio grasped Sunset’s shoulder and pulled the girl under her arm. “She was assaulted in one of your warehouses by certain creatures.” The woman seemingly scolded Chrysalis. Chrysalis let out a sigh. “I am doing an investigation to prevent such events ever happening again.” The woman shook her head. “When a company gets so big …it’s so difficult to manage.” She explained. Chrysalis turned towards Sunset and bowed. “Please …accept my apologies for your unfortunate experience.” The woman straightened up with a finger raised up. “Can I buy you a drink?” She asked. Sunset waved her hand. “I don’t drink.” She muttered. She was worried that the stories about the Chrysalis back in equestria would match up with the one in the mirror world, but that didn’t seem to be the case just yet. However, the queen of the changelings was known to be able to put on multiple facades, so she didn’t want to give the woman in front of her the full benefit of the doubt. “Respectable.” Chrysalis nodded before turning towards Pharynx. “You hear that! The girl doesn’t drink like a sailor!” She snapped. “Oh sod off!” Pharynx replied before drinking a bottle of whisky. “It’s not an alcohol problem. It’s an alcohol solution.” The man managed out after taking a breath. “Apologies for my little brother.” Chrysalis sighed before walking off too possibly scold Pharynx. Sunset and Adagio watched as the woman approached the man, and seemingly berate him. “They are eccentric, but they are some of my best friends.” Adagio sighed before turning back towards Sunset. “Are they also immortal?” Sunset asked, shuffling uncomfortably. From what she had heard, Chrysalis had lived for a long time, for nearly a thousand years if the legends were true. Adagio confirmed her suspicions and fears with a nod. “Yes. But not from the grail like me. They are of a different mettle, and even I don’t know the source of their longevity.” The woman let out a snort. “You are sure taking this immortality business well.” Sunset let out a sigh and shrugged. “I know a thing or two about immortals.” She admitted. “Oh? Do tell.” Adagio snickered under her mask. Sunset leaned forwards. “A story for another time. What about another dance?” She asked. “I can do you one better.” Adagio said as she removed her hands from Sunset. “I told you I remove my mask only for worthy people, did I?” She asked. Sunset nodded in response as she watched the woman’s movement carefully. “There is a second part. I vowed to only ever remove my mask in public, if I was ever to finally settle down.” Adagio chuckled. Sunset’s eyes widened as she watched Adagio carefully remove her mask. She heard gasps around her as Adagio’s hair spilled out from under the mask, her golden skin and raspberry eyes shining out. Sunset felt her heart skip as she felt Adagio reach forwards and slowly take off Sunset’s mask, revealing both of their faces to the masked crowd. “It’s good to finally see you out in the open Sunset.” Adagio smiled before leaning forwards, her lips aimed at Sunset’s Sunset’s brain was trying to explain mathematically how to navigate the whole situation, and it somehow came up with an imaginary number. Sunset was frozen as Adagio pulled her in for a kiss which caused the entire ballroom to go wild. At that moment, Sunset decided that she would act as she always had. She would go with the flor, and make her own way through life. It was how she got the attention of Princess Celestia, how she discovered the mirror portal’s secret, and how she ended up here. So instead of pushing away, she pulled Adagio forwards instead. Witchblade “Okay we’re here!” Silverstream exclaimed, quickly jumping out of the car. Thorax and Gilda followed as they rushed behind Silverstream as they headed towards the high-rise. “She lives in the penthouse all the way at the top.” The woman informed as they rushed into the building. It stretched up into the black clouds above Canterlot City which loomed over the area like a bad omen. It was as if even the heavens itself knew something was transpiring in the background, and today was going to be an important day. The high-rise’s blue surface was covered by the blackness of the sky, making it seem bleaker than it would normally look like. The three of them made their ways to the front desk. Silverstream slammed her gauntlets onto the desk, getting the secretary’s attention. “Hello. We’ll like to get into Adagio Dazzle’s penthouse. You know her …the Iron Lady of Canterlot?” The woman asked quickly. “Are you a friend of hers?” The lady at the front desk asked. “In a way.” “Do you have a keycard?” “No.” “Let me call her.” The lady started, but Silverstream grabbed her hand. “No need for that …just let me in.” The girl gave a wild smile which caused the secretary to recoil. “Sorry, but for security reasons I can’t do that.” The woman apologized, but it only earned a harsher glare from Silverstream. “You do realize I can snap your neck in a second right?” The girl threatened. Seeing the situation escalate beyond reason, Gilda pushed the girl aside and put her hands on the desk. “Apologies for my friend here. She ate too much sugar and is now hyper.” Gilda took in a deep breath while the secretary relaxed a bit. “Do you know where we may find the Iron Lady of Canterlot?” “W-well …she’s at a reunion right now …” The woman stammered. “Fantastic.” Gilda leanded forwards causing the lady at the front desk to recoil. “Did you see anyone else go in with her?” She asked. Before the front desk could answer, a security guard approached them with his hands stretched out. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave. You’re causing a scene.” The man ordered her. “I’ll leave when I get answers.” Gilda snapped. “You’re leaving now.” The guard grabbed her by the shoulders and began to pull her away. “And I said I’ll leave when I get ANSWERS!” Gilda roared as she pulled away from the guard before punching him backwards across the floor and into a potted plant. If there was any hope for de-escalation, it ended there because immediately after the rest of the guard froze there as they watched their comrade squirm on the floor. The rest of the guards immediately pulled out their weapons and pointed it at Gilda. However, they soon found their hands empty suddenly as a light magenta blur passed by all of them. Silverstream appeared next to Gilda and dropped all of the guards weapons on the floor in front of her. In reponse to this, one of the guards ran over towards a red button and slammed it down. “Well …if this was meant to de-escalate the situation …” Thorax smacked his lips. “This certainly did not help.” He remarked as an loud alarm blared throughout the building. The guards put on gloves which sparked with electricity. “Hey …can you take off their gloves?” Gilda asked Silverstream. “I can run fast …but not that fast.” Silverstream pursed her lips. “It’ll be easier just knocking them out at this point.” “Been a while since I knocked heads together.” Gilda clenched her jaw as she readied herself. She hunched down in a combat stance, her fists raised in the air. “Time to get back into motion!” Two guards lunged at her which was a mistake they wouldn’t have time to regret. Gilda ducked in between them and punched one in the stomach with her taloned hand, before sweeping her leg and tripping the second one onto the floor. The first guard keeled over, gripping his stomach and dry heaving while the second tried to stand up. Gilda slammed her heel into the man’s back hard, the metal of her shoe striking the man’s spine. She then brought her leg up to the other guard’s chin, knocking him out onto the ground. She looked over her shoulder to see a third rush her. She dodged the man’s kick, and ducked under his fist. She grabbed his arm, twisted it over her shoulder, and threw the man into a potted plant. While she was distracted, a guard grabbed her from behind and tried to choke her out while his mate rushed up to her front. Gilda kicked the guard in front of her back before using her talons to stab into the arm of the man grappling her. The man let out a scream and loosened his grip, giving Gilda the opportunity to slip out and deliver a punch into the guard’s jaw. As the guard fell to the floor, she saw a bear grab a guard in its jaws while swatting two others into a wall. The bear threw the guard in its mouth into the ground with a mighty ‘crack’ before barreling into a fourth, knocking the man over and behind the front desk. Silverstream quickly ran circles around five, quickly delivering fast punches while also tripping them while she had the opportunity. Her guantlets cracked as her fists struck the guard’s faces and bodies. The five helpless chaps tried to land strikes upon the girl but ended up dizzy and confused. Before the five knew it, they were on the ground in a heap. Silverstream took this opportunity to grab each one of them and throw them out the window into the sidewalk. “I committed multiple felonies today.” Silverstream smiled. “Today is a good day.” “It’s great that you think that way. Can you take that enthusiasm and find a way to the penthouse?” Gilda snapped. Silverstream rolled her eyes and quickly ran to the front desk and began typing furiously. She snapped her fingers, and as if on command, one of the elevators opened. “Everyone hop in.” Silverstream ordered as she ran into the elevator. Gilda followed while the bear transformed back into Thorax, and the two stood in the carriage as it slowly made its way to the top. As they waited, Gilda couldn’t help but ask, “How did you get access to the penthouse?” “I was taught how to hack.” Silverstream snorted. “It’s useful having a hacker that is also a speedster.” She remarked as the elevator doors opened. The girl rushed out and started to dash around the penthouse, her afterimage stretching all over the area as every door in the penthouse opened. Gilda couldn’t even get a word in before Silverstream appeared back in front of her. “Found something. Follow me.” Silverstream snapped as she ran over towards a pair of double doors. Gilda followed the girl’s lead with Thorax and found themselves in a velvet room with multiple paintings and curtains. She walked up to one of the paintings which showcased a medevil knight with a metallic gauntlet on her right hand. Her other hand wielded a spear which she raised high up into the sky. Gilda narrowed her eyes as she rubbed her right hand, remembering the night at the warehouse. “I recognize this …it’s the witchblade.” Thorax muttered, betting Gilda’s attention. “I heard rumours about Adagio’s obsession, but I guess this confirms it.” Gilda walked around the room and tried to think back to the warehouse. She turned towards Thorax while rubbing her chin. “This witchblade …does it look like a gauntlet …with a red, blue and yellow gem on it?” She asked. Thorax did a double take. “Y-yeah. How do you know?” He asked. Gilda pointed at the painting. “I recognize that gauntlet. I put it on when I was kidnapped by your pals.” She scowled before narrowing her eyes. “It rejected me though, hurt like hell as well.” “If this is where she keeps the witchblade …then where the hell is it?” Silverstream pointed into the interior of a vault. The vault was one of three, and was situated in the back of the room, covered by crimson drapes. Thorax quickly turned back towards Gilda. “Who else could have gotten their hands on the witchblade?!” The changeling quickly asked, rushing towards Gilda, grabbing her clothes. “Who?!” Gilda’s brain began to run on fumes as she tried her best to think who else could have possibly put on the magic glove. “The only other person with me that day was Sunset and the lady with the sword.” She finally managed out. Thorax froze and so did Silverstream. Gilda looked at the two confused before her brain also managed to connect dots after some rebooting. Before she could say what they were all thinking and try to deny it, a large explosion rocked the very sky itself. The three of them ran out of the display room and into the main chamber where they looked out of the large glass wall. In the distance, there was a large fire, billowing black smoke into the air, and it came from the wealthy district, where the biggest mansions were. She didn’t want to believe it, but Gilda knew that wherever fire was, she could be sure to find Sunset Shimmer. The only question was if she could get there fast enough, or if she will watch another one die in her hands. Witchblade Sunset Shimmer was still frozen in place even after Adagio parted her lips away from hers. She was stunned as her brain tried to process everything that had happened. She didn’t even hear the clapping and cheering around her until a strong hand gripped her shoulder. She looked over to see see Pharynx smiling with a shit-eating grin on his face. “Well Adagio. Finally got someone don’t you?” The man smiled as Adagio approached them. The man gave Adagio a friendly punch in the shoulder. “Nice catch here.” “Thank you Pharynx.” Adagio smiled. “Well. Since that is out of the way …” Pharynx took off his mask and tossed it aside. Sunset was a bit shocked at that, but then noticed the other party members were also taking off their masks around her. “It’s good to see you smile again Adagio.” Pharynx sighed before giving Adagio a small pat on the shoulder. “Thank you Pharynx. Now if you excuse me, I need to talk with my fiance.” Adagio smiled before taking Sunset’s hand. Sunset felt overwhelmed and her heart skipped a beat. Fiance? She was taking things a little too fast wasn’t she? “Fiance already?” Pharynx scoffed. “Moving a bit fast here aren’t we?” The man asked. “I was always the impatient one.” Adagio chuckled. “W-what’s going on?” Sunset finally got out, getting the two’s attention. “Ah.” Pharynx snapped his fingers. Sunset finally got a good look at the man’s face. He had a slim face with a sharp chin. His dark cyan skin looked hard and had the appearance of chitin rather than skin. “We all wore the mask whenever Adagio hosted a reunion because of her vow. Because she took it off, we can finally stop hiding under the mask, just like she did.” “That’s …nice.” Sunset managed to whimper out while she still tried to process the string of events that led her to this position. “It is.” Pharynx smiled before turning back to Adagio. “Going to leave you to it now. Have fun you two.” The man smirked with a suggestive wink. Adagio rolled her eyes and grabbed Sunset’s arm. “Come on.” The woman smiled as she took a lead Sunset away. As they passed by the other partygoers, congratulations was thrown at them. Adagio shook many hands, and introduced Sunset to many of them, though she wasn’t able to catch all of their names. When she finally got ahold of herself, she found herself being lead up a flight of stairs to the top floors. The room was completely dark other than a dim chandelier above that only made the place barely visible. It had a large window that spanned the entire wall which looked out into the city whose lights shone bright in the night. She hadn’t even realized how far into the night it was, she had been completely immersed during the entire event. Adagio ordered her two guards to stand guard at the door before shutting and locking it behind her, leaving her alone with Sunset. Sunset was then led by Adagio over towards the the large window. The two looked out into the starry sky, admiring the view for a minute. Adagio broke the silence after a minute staring out the window “It is a beautiful night tonight isn’t it?” Adagio smiled as she turned towards Sunset. Sunset nodded meekly. “Y-yes it is.” Adagio slowly took Sunset’s hand. The woman’s fingers and palm felt warm, and Sunset could feel a sort of energy course through her as she did so. It was a warm feeling, but she could feel her mind being muddled, though she wasn’t sure if it wasn’t from the suddenness of the kiss from earlier. “Since the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you were a perfect match.” Adagio smiled as she took Sunset’s hand. “When was that?” Sunset asked. “When you fought Nottingham. Your bravery, courage, and determination spoke out to me, like a dream from long before.” Adagio whispered as she caressed Sunset’s cheek softly. The woman gave a soft smile as she pulled Sunst close. “A dream that held firm even after so much hardship.” Adagio closed her eyes. “I know how much you struggled, even before Nottingham. I heard how you struggled against false accusations, and being assaulted for the false beliefs in others.” Her voice was like a gentle whisper in the wind, it was warm like the sun in spring. “I can see why the witchblade chose you, and it endeared me to you.” Sunset couldn’t even get a word out as Adagio continued to entrance her. The warmth over her hand beginning to stretch all the way up to her elbow. “But nobody should bear that burden alone. I can give you rest, reprieve from the rest of your classmates. I can protect you. You don’t have to see them ever again.” Adagio offered. Sunset admitted the offer sounded tempting, especially after what her five former friends did to push her away. “Don’t you just want to rest? To sleep?” Adagio whispered. “We can both live in a dream together.” Sunset could feel the warm stretch all the way up to her shoulders now. It was comforting, and she could feel herself slip away. “When I saw you …I saw a dream that I had yearned so long to reach again.” Adagio’s voice was deafening yet soft. It reminded Sunset of Princess Celestia’s voice, and it gave her comfort. Adagio reached into her pocket and lifted up a crimson red wedding ring. The body being made of gold, and the gem looking to be a ruby. “Can you grant me the honor of allowing me to indulge that dream for the rest of my life?” Sunset felt her heart skip as she heard those words. “W-what?” Was the only words she managed to get out as the warm reached her neck and began moving up her head. “Sunset Shimmer …will you marry me?” Adagio asked, her voice like a soft breeze in the wind. Sunset felt dizzy as if all her blood was rushing from her head toward her heart. A part of her yearned to say yes, but another part, a small part pulled her away. She wasn’t sure what it was, but she could feel it screaming within her, trying to get her attention. After Anon-A-Miss, she had fought so much. People vandalized her locker, pushed her, ganged up before beating her into the ground. She remembered all the awful memories and how she pushed through those horrible events. She always held onto HOPE. Hope that things would change, hope that she could live through it to see another bright day again. But she was getting tired, and her exit ticket was right here, right in front of her. She could live with Adagio, and never worry a day in her life ever again. As Adagio began to slip the wedding ring upon Sunset’s finger. Sunset opened her mouth and said- A memory hit her. A memory of Pinkie and Gilda. Her two friends that believed in her, one whom she saved, and the other, who looked up to her. How could she face them if she ran away right now, after all the effort that was made? To slip away into a dream world and give up after fighting for so long. She was never one to give up. She never gave up proving herself to Celestia when she was a villain, and she didn’t give up against the sirens, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to give up now. Sunset recoiled her hand away from the wedding ring and turned around, ripping her hand out of Adagio’s grip. The warmth disappeared and the blood seemed to return to her head, yet she still felt a bit dizzy. An icy, cold glare bore into her back, and she didn’t need to look behind her to see the look of wrath upon Adagio’s face. “I’m sorry.” Sunset whispered as she looked over her shoulder. Her heart nearly froze, seeing Adagio’s eyes glow in the dark, a nasty scowl upon her face. “We’re moving too fast and …I don’t want to give up on my friends yet.” Sunset looked away, trying to pretend she didn’t just see this world’s version of Adagio as a demon. “I also …don’t feel the same way for you. A friend …but not a wife.” Sunset gasped as she felt Adagio’s iron grip clasp around her wrist. She tried to yank it free but the woman’s grip was too tight. She was pulled in, and an icy grip closed around her heart as she stared into Adagio’s glowing red eyes. “I can give you everything!” Adagio roared. “Your own kingdom! Your own empire! Infinite wealth, don’t you understand?!” Sunset clenched her jaw. “I don’t want it!” She cried back. “Your friendship is enough. It is all I need. Please let go!” But Adagio didn’t let go. Instead her head lowered, and her grip tightened. The warmth that enveloped her turned into a raging fire, and Sunset could feel it burning through her limbs. She let out a scream as her body felt as if it was being torn apart by a raging inferno. In a desperate attempt, she willed witchblade to activate. This time, only extending over her wrist and hands. It was enough to get Adagio to lose her grip, causing Sunset to fly backwards. She tripped over her dress and tumbled to the ground, hitting her head on the floor. Adagio stood over her, and in a panic, Sunset pointed her right hand at Adagio, the witchblade primed with a dart. “You foolish girl. We both could’ve gotten what we wanted.” Adagio sneered as she clenched her fist. “I could’ve given you a pleasant dream, one in which you could live in bliss for eternity.” “W-what are you talking about?” Sunset whimpered as she tried to crawl backwards, but her limbs felt lethargic and heavy, so she didn’t get far. “I set up everything!” Adagio finally roared, causing Sunset to flinch back. Her heart began to shatter and her eyes began to water. “Nottingham! The wendigos! If I wanted to I could have torn you apart and made you suffer for eternity!” The woman marched towards Sunset as tears began to run down her face. “But I chose to be merciful and grant you a gift! One that you threw in my face!” “W-why?” Sunset sobbed. “Did you ever mean anything you said?” “I only care about one person in this world, and she was taken from me.” Adagio Irons sneered. “You are merely a stepping stone, and you always will be. Why do you think your ‘friends’ abandoned you so quickly?” She gave a cruel grin. Sunset’s hand trembled as she felt her entire world give out from under her. This was the same feeling she had felt when Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy abandoned her in the hallway. She wanted to curl up in a ball and sob her sorrows away, but she didn’t have that luxury. Tears streamed down her scrunched up face despite how hard she tried to keep composure. She heard a thud next to her. She looked over to the side, and her heart stopped. Behind her was the human world’s Aria Blaze, or the Nottingham. There was a Katana each in both her hands, which was pointed directly at Sunset. “Aria. Redeem yourself and complete the ritual. Absorb the rest of the witchblade and kill the girl!” Adagio ordered. Aria approached Sunset with a grim look upon her face. Sunset raised a hand up. “Please don’t do this …” She whimpered, but her hand was knocked to the side by the flat side of Aria’s blade. “You are too naive girl. Holding onto hope when all is lost.” Aria growled as she walked up to Sunset. She knocked Sunset’s witchblade arm to the side, which fell to the side as Sunset felt her will slipping. Aria grabbed Sunset by her dress and lifted her up from the floor. She glared into Sunset’s eyes. “Hope …is all you have left, and look at where it has gotten you.” Aria whispered. Adagio smiled, but Sunset could see some apprehension within Aria’s gaze. “Hope …is all we have …when all seems to be lost.” Sunset grit her teeth and prepared for the worst, but Aria was just frozen there. Adagio scowled and walkedup behind Aria. “What the hell are you waiting for?! Absorb-!” Was all Adagio got out before Aria suddenly spun around, slashing her swords across Adagio’s face, splattering blood over the floor. Adagio was knocked to her knee, but quickly regained her composure. She looked at Aria with wrath within her eyes. “You dare betray me?!” She roared. “I am not your servant!” Aria howled as she knocked Adagio to the ground. “I am your sister! Not your puppet! Did you not think I would figure out what the rune upon my hand was for? What your plan for the witchblade was?!” The woman shouted as she lifted both her swords over Aria’s chest. “How you planned to substitute me with Puresoul?!” Aria stabbed down, but Adagio caught both blades inches away from her chest with a snarl. “You overstep your bounds girl! I am your elder!” Adagio snatched the blades away before kicking Aria backwards who crashed against the window, causing glass to scatter over the pavement below. Aria leaned against the frame as she got up. Adagio lunged forwards at Aria with the two blades, but the assassin simply raised up her hand and shot out a plume of fire which knocked the other woman back. The fire set ablaze many of the fabrics in the area, and smoke began to billow out from them Sunset began to get up, but could feel herself starting to stumble as her mind began to drift away. “You dare?! You dare use the witchblade’s power against me?!” Adagio roared as she swung the swords at Aria’s neck. “You are not worthy!” “It is you who is not worthy!” Aria sneered as she blocked the blades with her arm. “You never were! That is why Puresoul, Katarina, abandoned you! Because you are nothing but an obsessive, power hungry woman, who only knows how to control others!” The assassin pushed the blades away as she spat her poisonous words at Adagio. Adagio let out a roar of anger and threw a blade at Aria in a fit of blind rage. Aria caught the blade in midair and used it to parry Adagio’s blind strike. She landed a kick into Adagio’s chest, knocking the woman backwards. “You will never control the witchblade wielder, because you are nothing but a pathetic sniveling coward. And every witchblade wielder will have ten times more will then you.” Aria finally sneered as Adagio got up off the ground. “If I can’t have Pure Soul with me in the mortal realm …” Adagio sneered as she turned towards Sunset Shimmer. “Then I will join her in the witchblade itself.” Adagio dashed over towards Sunset with blinding speed, her hand raised outwards towards Sunset. The doors burst open and Adagio’s two guards rushed in, their weapons ready. Sunset couldn’t react as the last thing she saw was Aria with her hand raised, fire rushing outwards. Then the world exploded into flame as she and Adagio was knocked back, but not before Adagio managed to get her hand on Sunset. Witchblade Gilda fell to the ground woozy but stumbled into the Silverstreams car while Thorax transformed back into his human form from his teradactyl form. They didn’t even get a chance to buckle in their seat belts as Silverstream rushed down the street, ignoring all traffic safety laws. “How long do we have?” Gilda asked. “Well the mansion is on fire.” Silverstream pointed out. “And some documents I managed to find in the area while rushing through talked about runes to control the witchblade.” “So how long?” Gilda asked again, but with a bit more irritation. “Depends. She could be dead by now, or we might have five minutes. Depends on how much will she has.” Silverstream pursed her lips as cars honked at her while she weaved in between traffic. “Then she’ll be fine.” Gilda muttered. “She has the strongest will out of anyone I know. She can pull through.” The girl continued. “Hey, you said it not me.” Silverstream shrugged as Gilda’s phone began to ring. She pulled it out and saw that it was Pinkie Pie again. “What?!” Gilda snapped after answering. “Where is Sunset? Is she at the mansion?!” Pinkie asked desperately. “Why do you want to know?” Gilda asked. “Because I am watching the news right now! There was a huge fire at the Iron Lady of Canterlot’s mansion!” Pinkie sniffled. “Is Sunsets there?” Gilda hesitated. She didn’t want to worry the party girl, but she also didn’t want to lie. After some deliberating, she decided the girl deserved to know. “Yes. She is.” “Why does she keep on rushing in alone?” Pinkie sobbed. “Doesn’t she trust us anymore?” “She just wants us to be safe.” Gilda sighed while rubbing her eyes. “She cares about you enough to want you to be safe. It is just how she is.” There was a second of Pinkie sniffling before the girl replied back. “Bring her back safe, will you?” The girl asked. “I will.” Gilda promised. “We’ll see you tomorrow.” “At SugarCube corner?” Pinkie asked. Gilda smiled. “Sure thing. Ten tomorrow we’ll be there.” The girl answered. “That late?” Pinkie let out a weak chuckle. “I sleep in late.” Gilda shrugged. Gilda slammed her hand on the seat. “Step on it!” “I am!” Silverstream snapped. “Step on it harder then!” Silverstream scowled. “Hey do you want to drive?!” She snapped. “I will if you continue at this pace now go!” Gilda snapped. Silverstream rolled her eyes, but the car rushed forwards while letting out a wail and a trail of skid marks behind it. After a minute of rushing through traffic and weaving between cars, they finally made it to the burning mansion. Everyone outside was standing away from it, either panicking, or stunned at the view. Gilda jumped out the car first and rushed towards the mansion with Thorax and silverstream right in front of her. For Silverstream, it made sense, but Thorax was deceptively fast. The people standing out of the mansion were all wearing dresses and formal wear. Gilda could see tables in the mansion so she deduced that there was a party going on before the fire began. She pushed past the partygoers as they gave little resistance to her and the other two. She could hear sirens in the distance, and she hoped it was from the firefighters and not Pinkie Pie. Gilda rushed into the mansion, covering her eyes as the flamers licked at her, singing her eyebrows. “Are we certain she is here?!” She heard Thorax ask. “Where there is flames, there is Sunset Shimmer!” Gilda stepped further into the burning mansion. “Sunset! Where are you?!” An answer came from the sound of crashing from the floor above her. “Upstairs!” Gilda snapped as she made her way up the staircase. She could hear the wood cracking as the flames devoured the mansion around her, but yet she pushed forwards. As she made her way up the second floor, she could see what was causing the noise. There was a woman fighting off two changelings who had much thicker armor than Thorax, while a man knelt over the lying body of an orange haired woman on the ground. This man’s skin was a dark cyan, his skin seemed to be hardened and looked akin more to plate armor than actual flesh. “Pharynx!” Thorax shouted. “Stop this madness!” The man turned around, and stood within the roaring flames. “Thorax!” The man sneered, his disguise fading away revealing his insectoid form. It was bigger than Thorax’s, he stood taller, had thicker armor, no, on closer inspection, it was chitin. The man towered over Thorax, and in his hand was a gnarly polearm scimitar. The same one she had seen pierce her parents body during their house robbery. She would recognize it anywhere. “Thorax my brother!” Phyarnx scowled. “My disappointment of a brother! I knew you would betray us eventually!” “I saw what Chrysalis was leading us towards! It is madness! Why do you insist on helping her and those she work with?!” Thorax pleaded. “It is the way …and it has always been the way!” Pharynx snarled. “Soon the world shall be remade with us as the masters! You have no vision little brother!” Thorax shook his head and took out a small metallic cylinder. In an instant, it extended into a large metal polearm with two crescent blades along with the speartip at the end of it. “You go help Sunset. I’ll take care of my brother.” Thorax hissed. “But …” “Now! You can’t outpace him Silverstream!” Thorax snapped. “Now go!” Silverstream nodded and quickly rushed towards Sunset Shimmer. However, before she could grab the girl, a large force knocked her back. Gilda ran after the girl, but ducked as instinct as a ball of flame rushed bast her hair. She looked up to see the orange haired woman rise up from the flaming floor. “Adagio …” Silverstream gasped. Gilda felt her heart freeze as Adagio raised her arm, now covered in metallic tendrils and veins which stretched from her hand all the way up to her shoulder. It even extended down her body and covered her right breast and ribcage. Adagio’s eyes glowed red, her veins bulging out but silver instead of red. Adagio finally controlled the witchblade like she said she would, one way or another. Adagio was kicked backwards in the head and went skidding across the ground. The woman who was fighting the two changelings was here now. The woman turned towards Gilda, her purple hair and light blue streaks covered with blood. “No talk, plan now!” The woman snapped. “Aria?! Why are you here? Why are you helping?” Silverstream exclaimed. “I said no talk, plan now!” Aria snapped as Adagio slowly got up off the floor. Gilda also noticed the two changelings making their way towards them as well. “You take Adagio, we’ll take the two changeling guards.” Silverstream snapped her fingers. “Of course, I always do the dirty work.” Aria snorted, but rushed forwards anyways at Adagio. With blinding speed, she swung her blades at the woman, but they were just parried away by the metallic arm. Aria didn’t let up though, continuing to pressure Adagio from all angles, holding her ground. Gilda didn’t have time to admire the fighting technique as she barely ducked under one of the changelings guard’s polearm. If she was a second later, it would have taken her head off at worst, or knocked her out cold at best. She flexed the claws on her gauntlet and struck forwards at the changeling, but it dodged out of the way before slamming her head with the pommel of its polearm. She stumbled back and stepped to the side just as it stabbed forwards. She grabbed the shaft with her left hand and slashed at it with her right. The blades of her metallic talons missed as it simply stepped back, yanking its polearm out of her grip. Gilda grit her teeth, it didn’t matter how fast she was, the distance advantage of the polearm gave the changeling a huge advantage. It also didn’t help that it was extremely fast and strong. Meanwhile, Gilda noticed that Silverstream was also having trouble as well. The changeling guard spun its polearm around it, parrying and blocking Silverstream punches and kicks. It the suddenly swung it’s blade across the ground, forcing the girl to dodge over it before calling to the floor. Silverstream let out a curse as she flexed her fists. She dashed forwards and the changeling responded by swinging his polearm up at her chin. At the last second, she jumped in the air and twisted, dodging out the way of the blade. She then landed on the ground, and struck the changeling guard hard in the stomach, knocking it back. Despite the nice blow, the changeling guard just straightened itself up and walked back up to her. Silverstream grit her teeth and looked over to see how Thorax was doing. It seemed as if he and Pharynx was in a stalemate as their spears clashed, causing sparks being thrown over the ground as the metal blades slid off each other. Pharynx stabbed at Thorax’s chest, who in turn dodged it before slashing his weapon towards Pharynx’s neck. Thorax and Pharynx began their second bout. The two began a pattern of stabbing, parrying and riposte over and over while they circled each other. They continued to test each other, waiting for one to slip up. In a split second, Pharynx stabbed at Thorax, but the changeling managed to catched the tip within the crescent blade of his spear. He twisted it, but Pharynx got it untangled just in time to step back away from Thorax’s swing. While those two were sparring, Aria fought against Adagio. The purple haired woman had the ability to catch bullets, to react to a speeding car. However, both had drunk from the holy grail. Before they were evenly matched, but now, with the witchblade, Aria felt herself giving away ground as Adagio pushed forwards. Adagio swung the witchblade upon her arm aggressively, yet somehow focused and precise. It was as if her movements were guided by instinct, movements that were practiced over and over again, but was not hers. The witchblade cut the air Aria’s face was a few seconds ago. However, Adagio needed time to recover so Aria readied her blade and lunged forwards with a stab. She aimed at Adagios neck, but in a split second, saw Adagio’s arm turn into a claw which was also aimed at hers. Aria was forced to abandon her attack and duck under the strike to preserve her own life before stepping back. “What are these things made of?” Silverstream snapped as she ducked under another swing. “Good question. Thorax?! How do we beat these things?!” Gilda snapped as she barely jumped over the blade as it swung down at her ankles. “You don’t!” Thorax answered through the flames. “How encouraging!” Gilda snapped. Gilda decided to try a gambit and lunged forwards. As expected, the changeling guard readied it’s spear and aimed it right at her heart. However, she twisted herself to the side, using her talons to grasp the spear tip. She pulled it towards her, but the changeling remained stern, so she ended up pulling herself towards it. She improvised and landed a foot forward before swinging her talons through the air, and into the changelings armor. Her talons stabbed into the changelings armor but was stuck there. She looked up and saw the changeling lifting up its spear, ready to slam it down at her arm. Gilda grit her teeth and unfastend her hand from the talons before diving back. The changeling slammed the pommel of its spear into the ground. The force vibrated through the floor. After being eaten away by the flames, and weakened by the constant fighting, the floor finally gave way after the changelings strike. Gilda fell down, grasping at the air as she and everyone else plummeted to the flaming ground below. All Gilda could think about, at that moment, was the face of her parents, her childhood friend, and Sunset, before the world turned black. Witchblade Sunset closed her locker with a sigh. The day had begun with her being heckled by students at the entrance of Canterlot High School. Spitballs, pieces of paper, and rocks were thrown at her as she entered the high school. She looked wearily at her locker which was covered in graffiti. It consisted of curse words and insults directed her way by students who were rightfully angry at her after years of torment. She gave up trying to clean it off as it always returned, so she just dealt with it. As Sunset turned away from her locker, she found herself surrounded by a group of students. The Rainbooms were part of the group, all of them with viscous sneers on their faces. In front of the group was Gilda, her expression being a cruel snarl and predatory eyes upon her face. “Twilight may have forgiven you, but that doesn’t mean we have.” Gilda smirked as the group of students closed around Sunset. “P-please I’m sorry.” Sunset begged as she began to back up. Rainbow Dash shoved her into the ground before she could get any more words out. Sunset fell to the ground, hitting her head against the locker. She gripped the metal door and wearily looked up, trying to control her fear as the group of students continued to close in around her. “Do you really expect us to believe that, Anon-A-Miss?” Pinkie snarled. The snarl looked particularly vicious on the party girl’s face, who was usually so upbeat and happy. Fear enveloped Sunset’s heart as she recoiled further into the floor. “Please I’m not-” Was all Sunset managed to get out before a kick in the face from Rainbow Dash shut her up. Gilda grabbed her by the collar and slammed her head into the locker. “We don’t believe you.” The girl snarled before slamming Sunset repeatedly into the locker. When Sunset began to feel her skull crack, she was then thrown into the ground by Gilda with a loud thud. Sunset let out a sob as pain as she laid sprawled over the floor, her entire body aching. She curled up in a ball and cried pitifully as she covered her head while the students around her began to laugh at her misery. “I’m sorry …” She finally choked out. {For what?} Sunset looked up from the ground to see a woman standing over her. She cautiously looked over her shoulder to see the students around her frozen in place. She then wiped her tears from her face and looked up tearfully at the woman who slowly knelt down towards her. The beige colored woman had brown hair and blue eyes which complimented her kind smile and soft expression. She wore a black jacket with a badge sitting over heart. She looked down at Sunset and extended a hand towards the girl. Sunset reached up with a shaky hand, but hesitated, stopping midway. {Why are you scared Sunset?} The woman asked. “I …I don’t if I can continue.” Sunset let out a heavy sigh. “I’m so tired.” The woman closed her eyes and nodded. She sat down on the floor in front of Sunset and let out a small chuckle. {I know the feeling.} The woman closed her eyes. {I know the feeling all too well.} The woman looked away from Sunset down the hall. There was a pair of double doors that suddenly opened letting out a bright light. {I know what it feels like when the world begins to close around you. When everything begins to go to hell, sucking you and those you care about in.} The woman turned back towards Sunset. {I know the feeling. I couldn’t take it anymore and that’s why …I gave it up.} “Gave what up?” Sunset asked weakly. The woman let out a snort. {The witchblade of course.} Sunset let out a gasp and the woman nodded wearily in response. {I gave it up, because I couldn’t handle that lifestyle anymore.} Sunset managed to prop herself up with shaky arms. “Why …?” The woman raised an eyebrow in surprise at that question. “Why did it choose me?” Sunset sobbed. {I asked that question myself as well.} The woman sighed. {All of us do sooner or later, and we never get an answer.} “But why me? I hurt so many people.” Sunset sobbed. “I’m weak, pathetic, and can’t even gain the trust of my friends.” {But yet you fight for them.} The woman placed a soft hand on Sunset’s shoulder. {You fight to protect them …to help them …no matter what it takes.} “I’m only doing it to clear my name, and help myself.” Sunset muttered somberly. {If you were, why didn’t you take the money? Why did you jump in to save Gilda?} The woman whispered. “Yeah. Why did you dweeb?” A familiar voice asked. Sunset looked up to see Gilda, with a more friendly expression. Her face was stern, but her eyes twinkled with an element of playfulness within it. “Come on dweeb, get up.” “What are you doing? She’s Anon-A-Miss!” The other Gilda stormed up to the new one. The new Gilda let out a snort. She raised up a fist and slammed it into the first one, cracking their skull. “Piss off.” “Come on Sunset! Turn that frown upside down!” Sunset looked up to see Pinkie standing next to Gilda with a beaming smile. “Come on Sunset! Don’t let those meanies push you down!” {Listen to your friend.} Sunset looked at the strange woman standing over her. {You are not alone.} “Get up Sunset!” Pinie’s voice echoed. “Come on dweeb! You are better than this!” Gilda’s voice snapped. “Sunset, I believe in you.” Celestia’s voice reached out. “Sunset …!” Sunset froze at the fourth voice. She looked up tearfully to see Twilight Sparkle, standing with the group with a kind expression. “Don’t give up …it’s what you’re best at.” Sunset grit her teeth and clenched her jaw. With a heavy heave, she pushed herself off the ground. She shakily got up on her feet and pushed herself up. Her entire body shook as her limbs, battered with bruises, protested. She looked up at the students who were battering her and wiped her mouth. “Is that all you got?!” She sneered. The group of students let out a roar, including the corrupted version of Gilda, Pinkie, and the rainbooms. Sunset let out a roar herself and lashed out with her right fist, lunging towards them. As she flew through the air, she felt a familiar energy course through her. Her entire right arm became enveloped in a metallic armor which extended from her arm across her entire body. It encased her body in metallic wires, and as she struck forward a renewed force, flames erupted from her fist. A plume of flames roared out, enveloping her assailants, consuming them as their demonic screech echoed throughout the halls. The screeching eventually fell silent, as the demonic figures collapsed into dust. }}}Welcome back kid.{{{ Sunset smiled at the familiar voice. “Where were you?” She asked. }}}Irons cut me off from you. She used a spell when she spoke with you at the cafe alone. When she touched your hand, she completed the transfer.{{{ “Clever bitch.” Sunset scoffed. {At least you’re back} The woman from before stepped forward. Sunset’s friends disappeared, but the brown haired woman remained. “Thank you …” Sunset smiled gratefully. “I never got your name.” {I am Sara Pezzini} The woman introduced herself. Sunset smiled. “Thank you …Ms. Pezzini” {It is no problem.} Sara smiled. She looked down at Sunset’s right arm where the witchblade sat. {How have you been, witchblade?} }}}I’ve been great. The usual.{{{ {That’s good.} Pezzini nodded. Sunset paused and pointed at the woman. “ Wait …how are you here, how were you able to communicate with me?” {I did say that I once wileded the witchblade.} Sunset let out a small gasp. “Wh- …how …?” {All the previous wielders consciousness are stored in the witchblade to mentor the new generation.} Pezzini explained. {At least a part of them. I am still unsure of how it works.} “I see …” Sunset closed her eyes and let out a small breath. “I know you have already done a lot, but can you help me one more time?” }}}It is a good idea. You are currently falling.{{{ Sunset did a double take at that comment. “What do you mean?” {I feel it too. Irons has gone mad with her newfound power. She has absorbed part of the witchblade.} Pezzini nodded. {Your friends are in danger.} Sunset felt her heart race. “Then I need to return now! They need my help!” {You will …but not alone. I have dealt with Irons before, I will lend you my experience.} Pezzini explained. “You can do that?” {When you are ready.}Pezzini stretched out a hand. {What are you willing to do for your friends?} Sunset clenched her hands as memories of winter break flooded her mind. She remembered how her friends abandoned her, how they shunned her. It made her angry, it made her want to lash out and scream at them. But then her mind flashed back to when she was in the crater, just defeated by Twilight, and how they extended a hand out to her. “Everything.” Sunset finally answered. “Till my last breath.” Sunset reached out and took Pezzini’s hand, gripping it tight. She felt the whole world shake around her as energy flooded her body. She let out a primal roar as she finally woke up, and opened up her bright cyan eyes. Witchblade Sunset Shimmer opened up her eyes just as the floor collapsed underneath her. She let out a grunt and twisted her body quickly eyeing and grabbing Gilda out of the air. The white haired girl let out a squawk as wings sprouted out from Sunset’s back. Sunset quickly shot forward and snatched a light magenta girl as well while she was at it. She flapped her amber and crimson metallic wings, as she flew herself and the other two girls in her arms out the window. The entire mansion collapsed behind her just as she landed in the backyard lawn outside the building. Gilda and the magenta girl dropped to the ground heaving and gasping. Gilda looked at Sunset with wonder in her eyes. The magenta girl looked at Sunset with a massive shit-eating grin. “Sunset?” Gilda muttered. “Witchblade!” The magenta girl zipped at Sunset with inhuman speeds and gave her a friendly punch in the shoulder. “Damn …you look fine.” Sunset looked down and saw that the witchblade was barely covering her breast, and showing off her cleavage. She rolled her eyes while Gilda slowly got up off the ground. “Sunset …is that …you …” Gilda stammered with astonishment. She let out a scoff and gave a small grin with disbelief in her eyes. Sunset nodded and opened up her arms. “I got a makeover.” She smiled. Gilda rushed forwards and gave her an overwhelming hug. “Damn it girl …what did I say about rushing into danger.” She sniffed. Sunset was taken aback by the sudden hug, but slowly patted the girl on the back. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to put you into danger.” Sunset explained. “Well now I am definitely not letting you out of my sight.” Gilda sniffed as she pulled away. She looked Sunset over. “This explains a lot and nothing at the same time.” “Join the club.” Sunset rubbed her shoulder. “Listen …about what I said …” Gilda put a hand up. “You were right. I was using you as a replacement.” The girl closed her eyes. “I shouldn’t have projected my feeling of Gallus onto you.” Gilda looked down. Sunset noticed that the magenta girl flinch a bit, but she returned back to her stoic stance, “I’m sorry.” Gilda muttered. Sunset shook her head. “No …I should’ve been more attentive to your feelings. I also should have talked more calmly and patiently with you.” Sunset closed her eyes. “I’m sorry..” Gilda gave a small smirk and opened her arms. “One more forgiveness hug?” Sunset rolled her eyes. “Fine.” She smiled before embracing Gilda once more. The magenta girl cleared her throat as Gilda and Sunset pulled away from each other. “Well …I love seeing two friends make up …but we got bigger fish to fry.” “And who is this?” Sunset gestured towards the magenta girl. “Ah …this is Silverstream. She works with Thorax …or ‘Thor’.” Gilda explained. “I thought ‘Thor’ was a scoundrel.” Sunset sneered. “Apparently not. He was trying to get out of ChangeData for a while now apparently.” Gilda snorted. She looked around the field and back to the mansion. “Where is he anyways?” As if to answer the question, three figures burst out of the rubble. One of them was Pharynx who looked more battered and furious that he did before. He let out a loud roar as he leapt out from the rubble, landing in front of Sunset, Gilda, and Silverstream. “I AM A HUNDRED AND TEN PERCENT DONE!” Pharynx roared, raising his spear up. “INSOLENT INSECTS! YOU’LL DIE SCREAMING!” Before Pharynx could make any moves, a figure jumped forwards and gave a roundhouse kick to Pharynx’s skull, knocking the man to the side. The person who just gave Pharynx a concussion landed on the ground and turned towards Sunset and the other two. The man had light lime skin and bright orange hair. “No talk, plan now.” The man snapped. “Thorax. Discipline your shitty older brother. I’ll deal with Adagio.” Silverstream turned towards Adagio who was standing in the rubble …menacingly. “No.” Sunset stepped forwards. She turned towards Thorax and Silverstream. “You deal with Pharynx. I’ve got Adagio.” “Are you sure?” Silverstream raised an eyebrow. Pharynx got up off the ground, clutching his skull while stumbling a bit. Sunset nodded. “I am.” Silverstream shrugged and ran off with Thorax towards Pharynx. Sunset turned towards Gilda next. “You think I can take her?” “I? You mean we.” Gilda snorted. “Gilda …I don’t want to put you into danger.” Sunset pleaded as Adagio began to walk through the rubble towards them. The wood crunched under the woman’s heels, and she had a blank expression upon her face. “Sunset. We’re partners …and that means we face things together.” Gilda snorted. Sunset let out a sigh. “Nothing I say will convince you will it? Gilda grinned. “Nope. You’ll have to drag me away and tie me down to stop me.” Sunset rolled her eyes and smiled. “Fine then …come one partner.” The two of them strutted forwards and approached Adagio. They and Adagio stopped when there was about five meters between them. They eyed each other, waiting for the other side to make their move first. “I now possess the witchblade. Nothing will stop me from retrieving the other half.” “Big words coming from someone who needed others to do her dirty work.” Sunset snarked. She put her hands up in a fighting stance and glared at Adagio. “The witchblade is bound to me, you are nothing but an usurper, an unworthy wielder!” “I know your past Sunset.” Adagio hissed. “How you tormented your school, how you threw your weight around, and how you delved into the dark arts.” Sunset froze as the words pierced her soul. Doubts that were buried began to rise up as she stared Adagio down. Her hands clenched tightly as Adagio gave a cruel grin before raising up her right hand, now completely covered with the witchblade. Sunset was broken out of her thoughts when somebody took her hand. She looked to the side and saw that it was Gilda, standing next to her. “Don’t let her get to you kid. You are not the person you were in the past …it is what you are today that matter.” Gilda gave her a soft smile. Sunset nodded and returned the gesture. “Thank you.” Sunset then closed her eyes and took in a breath. ‘I am ready Sara.’ {Then brace yourself kid.} A bright light enveloped Sunset, blinding everyone in the backyard. A couple of reporters arrived at the scene just to get blinded by the sudden light that emanated from Sunset. Gilda continued to hold her hand, but had to look away from the sheer intensity of the light that shot outwards. Adagio also had to flinch away, the light being too much for her to handle as well. As the light dimmed down, Sunset walked forwards, her attire now different than before. Her entire body was enveloped with bright steel-like armor. It was rugged and jagged with two blands extending along her forearms. Sharp tendrils stuck out from her shoulder blades outwards behind her, with a small police badge indent over her heart. Adagio began to shake as Sunset’s hair turned into a shade of light brown. Bronze flames began to flicker from the sclera of Sunset’s eyes. Those eyes, the armor, she recognized it somewhere, perhaps from a different life, a different time. But there was only one thing Adagio could think of. “You.” Adagio hissed. “You are the one unworthy Adagio. Though my past is dark, my future is bright. Unlike yours.” Sunset’s voice boomed. “Who are you to call me unworthy!” Adagio roared before dashing forwards. Sunset felt the witchblade stretch over her entire body, sensing the increased danger. She put her hands up, intercepting Adagio’s strike with her clawed hands. The woman struck furiously, with Sunset blocking each with increased ferocity. Adagio swung at Sunset’s head, missing as she ducked under the strike. Sunset saw this opportunity and struck with a punch right into Adagio’s stomach. Adagio spat out blood as she keeled over. This provided enough distraction for Gilda to dash to the side and strike forwards with her talons. The talons struck true and pierced Adagio’s chest, causing the woman to let out a roar of anger. Adagio threw a kick towards Gilda who barely managed to dodge out of the way, the kick causing her jacket to ripple. Sunset willed a blade to extend out from her arm which she then used to slash at Adagio, creating a large gash in the woman’s torso. They looked to have the advantage, but the fight turned as Adagio suddenly manifested a claymore within her hand. Sunsets barely managed to duck under one of her swings, but was promptly kicked backwards by the woman. Adagio slammed the pommel of her blade into Gilda’s skull, knocking the girl backwards. “How is that woman still standing? I jammed my talons right into her lungs!” Gilda exclaimed. “She has the other half of the witchblade, it’s healing her!” Sunset explained. “I don’t know what a witchblade is, but do you know how we can get it off her?!” Gilda asked. {Detective's eye!} “Detective’s eye.” Sunset muttered out alongside Pezzini’s voice. Sunset narrowed her eyes, and noticed that her vision was now more focused. She could pick up more details, and predict the movements of Adagio in front of her. Adagio was very familiar with the claymore, that was one thing Sunset was sure of. Adagio’s armor began to shift and morph. It enveloped the woman’s entire body, covering her from head to toe. Sunset could only gawk as a Christian cross appeared over Adagio’s torso, her armor becoming bright white. “The holy grail.” Sunset’s brain began to piece everything together. “You were a crusader, or lived during the time didn’t you?” “I was.” Adagio confirmed. “But before I met Godlife, I was a simple prostitute, living on the streets. She gave me new life.” Adagio gripped her sword. “I will be reunited with her one way or another, and you will not stop me.” “Is this what she would have wanted!” Sunset shouted, her voice different than before, slowly shifting into that of an older woman. “If she saw what you were doing, she would be horrified!” “You know nothing of her!” Adagio dashed towards Sunset. Sunset blocked Adagio’s sword strike with her arm blades, and the two pushed against each other. “You do not get to judge Sunset Shimmer!” Sunset pushed Adagio’s claymore to the side and manifested mental tendrils from her left hand to grab the woman’s right arm. Sunset’s enhanced eyes saw that Adagio was going to grab her tendrils, but she also saw Gilda running up behind the woman. Sunset let Adagio grab the tendrils and pull her forwards before gripping her by the neck. Sunset was about to twist herself out of Adagio’s grip and throw the woman down, but Gilda threw a wrench in those plans. Gilda stabbed her talons under Adagio’s arm, causing the woman to roar out in anger. The woman slashed at Gilda, but the girl turned out to be more agile and she managed to duck under the slash, a few strands of her hair being cut in the process. Sunset took this opportunity to manifest a baton in her hands which she used to slam into Adagio’s skull. The woman stumbled backwards giving Gilda an opening. The girl slashed at Adagio’s head, but it turned out to be a mistake. Adagio grabbed Gilda’s arm with astonishing speed. She threw the girl down into the ground with a loud crack before gripping her by the neck. Sunset struck forwards with her blade but her eyes saw Adagio’s knee coming up. She quickly dodged to the side just as Adagio manifested metallic wires out of her left arm. “The witchblade will be mine!” Adagio roared. “And it will when you’re dead!” {Claw of Darkness!} “Claw of Darkness!” Sunset roared alongside Sara’s voice. With her enhanced reflexes, she grabbed the metallic wires with blackened claws, and felt a surge of power enter her. Adagio’s eyes widened in panic as she tried to pull away, but Sunset’s grip was like iron. The witchblade began to transfer into her, but not fast enough. Adagio began to focus on Sunset, trying to pull the powers of the witchblade back towards her. Sunset noticed that Gilda was about to kick Adagio in the back of her skull. A figure caught her eye though, one that lurked behind the gate with a spear in their hands. Detective’s eyes couldn’t see figures features, as if it was being obscured by a veil that the ability couldn’t see through. However, she saw that the person was about to toss the spear over the fence over towards them. Sara’s ability predicted the trajectory, and saw that it was aimed towards Gilda. “Gilda! To your left!” Sunset shouted as the spear was thrown over. Gilda followed Sunset’s direction just as the spear was thrown in the air. The girl quickly grabbed the spear out of the air, and as if it was natural to her, she stabbed it right into Adagio’s neck. Adagio let out a cry of pain, distracting her enough for Sunset to finally pull more of witchblade’s power than she would have. Gilda was dropped to the ground, and the girl took this opportunity to impale Adagio right through the stomach. She lifted the woman into the air before slamming her into the ground. Adagio tumbled on the ground as the metallic armor that once covered her began to dissolve. She lifted up a hand as the metal that covered it disintegrated into dust. The only part of witchblade that she still possessed only covered her right arm. “It’s over Adagio.” “No …” Adagio hissed. “No it will be your life that will be over!” Out of the last manifestations of witchblade, Adagio created a claymore. She ran at Sunset, who created two batons within her hands. Detective’s eyes made it simple for Sunset to dodge Adagio’s strikes as the woman swung wildly at her. It became more and more sloppy, eventually allowing Sunset the opportunity to grab her arm. Gilda appeared to the side and used her spear to buckle Adagio’s legs. Sunset kicked Adagio in the face, knocking the woman backward, followed by Gilda, who slashed up with her spear into the woman’s face. Gilda twirled her spear before stabbing down through Adagio’s stomach, pushing the woman back, and pinning the woman into the earth. Adagio let out a wet gurgle as she gripped the spear, kicking and struggling to push up from the ground. Sunset walked up to Adagio and stood over the woman who pathetically tried to claw at Sunset. “The Witchblade was and has never been yours to possess.” Sunset reached down and grabbed Adagio’s right hand. Adagio watched with horror as the last vestiges of the Witchblade joined back with Sunset. Sunset felt the full power of the Witchblade reenter her body. Adagio slumped down back onto the ground, staring up at the night sky as tears traveled down her cheek. Her plan had failed; all her planning had resulted in nothing. Sunset could not help but look down at the woman in pity. Sunset heard a sudden crack. She looked over her shoulder to see Silverstream kicking Pharynx right in the skull. Thorax used his spear to stab right through his brother's hand, causing the man to drop his own weapon. Thorax twisted his spear, ripping Pharynx’s hand off. Pharynx cried out in rage before Silverstream grabbed the man by the legs and pulled him off the ground. Pharynx slammed into the field with a loud crack before turning still. To commemorate the victory, two head was tossed into the field, right in front of Sunset. She looked up to see Aria with a large scowl on her face. The woman looked to have seen better days with gashes and cuts all over her body. Her clothes and skin was torn, cut, slashed and bruised. “Yes, please, leave me alone with two of Chrysalis' most advanced guards.” “I was sure you could handle it.” Silverstream smirked while Aria wiped the green blood off her blade. Aria flipped the girl off before approaching Sunset and Adagio. She looked down at her sister with a smirk. “How the mighty fall doesn’t it sister.” “Kill me and get it over with.” Adagio hoarsely whimpered. “Gladly.” Aria smirked as she lifted up her blade over Adagio, but Sunset grabbed her arm. “No.” Sunset shook her head. “What are you doing?” Aria scowled. “Do you know what this woman has done? What she can do?” “What have you done?” Sunset raised an eyebrow. Aria was silent after that question. “Do you know what I have done either?” “Sunset. She’s a psychotic, power hungry murderer. Should we really spare her?” Gilda scoffed. Sunset closed her eyes before kneeling next to Adagio. “You must let go.” Was all she could say to the woman. “What do you know about letting go?” Adagio sneered. “You don’t know what it’s like …seeing your loved ones abandon you.” Adagio let out a small sob. “But I do,” Sunset answered. Adagio looked up, and the two women met eye contact. “But the most you can do is to never give up, and to always move forwards.” She explained as her eyes noticed officers getting out of their police cars before moving towards the fields. “As long as you remember them, they will never go away.” Sunset formed two metal wings upon her back and grabbed Gilda by the arm. “Hope you don’t get airsick easily.” She smirked. “Nah. I actually like the air.” Gilda smiled softly. Sunset turned towards Silverstream and Thorax, both who were carrying Pharynx in their arms. She also looked over at Aria who was scowling at the police officers running towards them. “You guys need a lift?” Sunset asked. “My legs are my ride.” Silverstream snorted. Thorax snapped his fingers and two wings appeared upon his back. Sunset raised an eyebrow to Aria who just let out a scoff. “I didn’t become the number one assassin by getting caught.” Aria sheathed her sword and tipped her head. “Until next time …Witchblade.” “The next time we meet, I hope it’ll be more cordial.” Sunset narrowed her eyes. Aria simply grinned. “I look forwards to it.” She remarked before leaping over the fence before blurring into the darkness and disappearing as if she was never there. “Nice working with you witchblade.” Silverstream nodded before turning towards Gilda. “Take good care of that spear now you hear.” “Actually, I have been meaning to ask. Who is it from?” Gilda asked as she turned towards the area beyond the fence which it had been thrown from. “An old friend.” Silverstream smiled before brushing her hand towards them. “Now go, before the cops begin to ask questions I don’t want to answer.” Sunset looked around Silverstream and saw that the cops were indeed closing in on them. “Until next time then.” Sunset nodded as she held Gilda close, and lifted off into the air right before the cops began to surround them. She looked down and saw Silverstream disappear in a blur along with Thorax, leaving behind Adagio, kneeling in the grass. The cops stared up as Sunset flew above the clouds and back home. She held Gilda close, making sure the girl didn’t slip from her hands. They flew in silence for a while, with Gilda gripping the spear given to her close, closely analyzing the weapon. She eventually broke the silence though. “Guess this explains why you were so secretive all the time.” Gilda smirked. “I just received the Witchblade, and I was still adjusting to it.” Sunset snorted. “I’m sorry though. I should have let you in on it.” “Nah …it’s fine. Everyone has their own secrets.” Gilda looked up somberly at the clouds above her. “Even me.” “Will you ever tell me now that you know my secret?” Sunset smirked. Gilda let out a snort. “Someday. Now let’s get home.” The girl remarked as the pair flew back to Celestia’s residence. Witchblade Sunset managed to fly back to Celestia’s home in one piece, and saw that the lights were on. She pursed her lips as she flew into her room with Gilda in her arms. She could hear Celestia’s and Luna’s voice through the walls, and she could only imagine what the two were saying. “Damn it, how long were we out?” Sunset whispered as she placed Gilda down on the floor. “I think I left the house around six.” Gilda guessed. “So I’ve been out of the house for about an hour. You’ve been out for a while.” “Well shit.” Sunset looked down at her current attire at the moment, and didn’t wish to explain to Celestia and Luna why she was dressed like someone from a metal band album. “Gilda. Can you hold them off while I change?” “Oh.” Gilda pursed her lips as if the sudden realization at what Sunset was wearing finally dawned on her. “Yeah.” “Can you quickly turn around and look away?” Sunset asked. “I need to detransform and change quickly.” Gilda obliged and turned away, turning towards a wall. Sunset let out a exasperated sigh as she felt the witchblade retract from her body and into the bracelet on her wrist. Now stark naked, she looked around the room for a fresh pair of clothes, before eyeing a set of dirty clothes on the ground. Though not ideal, it was better than nothing, so she quickly put it on as humanly possible. ‘Must you always shred my clothes?’ }}}Yes. I require direct contact with the users body. It can’t be interfered by any object, even clothing.{{{ ‘That’s annoying.’ Sunset rolled her eyes. “Sunset, I think Celestia’s coming.” Gilda snapped. “I’m changed.” Sunset affirmed before turning around. It was just in time since the second she turned around, the door to their room opened, revealing a very disgruntled Celestia. “Sunset? How did you …where were you?!” Celestia demanded to know as she stormed up to Sunset. “Do you know how worried I was for this past hour?!” “I know, and I’m sorry, but there was something important …” Sunset tried to explain but was cut off by her principal. “I came home to see that nobody was home! And the cops outside tell me that both you and Gilda had been missing for an entire hour! And that Gilda went off with a couple of strangers!” Celestia continue to rant. “It is still beyond me why they let you out without any supervision1” “Oh yeah.” Sunset winced. “Those two.” Behind Celestia, she could see Gilda trying to slip away. Sunset glared at the girl who just shrugged. Unfortunately, the girl bumped into Luna, who stopped in her tracks. She looked up with pursed lips, looking up at a very angry vice-principal. “And you!” Celestia suddenly turned her attention towards Gilda. “Where did you run off? The officers told me that Sunset came back home, only for you to quickly rush out with two strangers!” The rainbow haired woman face began to turn red as she continued on scolding the two girls. Sunset cringed, pushing through her surrogate mothers wrath whose temperament currently match one of a sun going supernova. “I have been losing my mind for the past HOUR!” Celestia finally shrieked. “Sister!” Luna finally snapped. “I understand that you were worried. So was I, especially after the recent attacks. But you are acting feral right now.” “I am completely calm!” Celestia snapped. “Ok.” Luna sighed as she pulled Celestia to the side. “Let me handle this.” She then turned towards Sunset. “Where have you two been? Do you understand how worried my sister and I was?” “I know, and I am sorry.” Sunset muttered. “It wasn’t right for me to go off on my own. It was unfair.” “Unfair isn’t the right word. It was reckless and irresponsible. What if you got hurt or kidnapped? I think it’s fair for us to be worried, especially after the recent string of mystery murders.” Luna shook her head. “I understand.” Sunset mumbled, her head hung low, looking away from Luna’s glare. “You two are grounded until the lockdown is finished.” Luna finally stated. “What? You’re not my mother!” Gilda protested. “But we are your guardians at the time being.” Luna snapped back. “Must I remind you there are violent murderers on the loose?!” Sunset pursed her lips. “I almost forgot.” “You best work on your memory then.” Luna scowled. “It’ll keep you safer.” Luna turned around and walked out the room allowing Celestia to stand before the two girls now. “Can you two now tell me where you have been all night?” Their principal asked. Sunset panicked as she realized that she didn’t plan for when Celestia and Luna inevitably asked her where she was. She wracked her brain for a potential excuse that would allow her to not tell Celestia that she had dipped her hand into more magic shenanigans. ‘Quickly brain. Make an excuse!’ “I went to a party.” Sunset’s brain decided. “A party? Today? Where?” Luna scoffed. “A secret one.” Gilda quickly interjected. “I have connections. Those two were my party pals back in …middle school.” “Must have been one hell of a party.” Luna raised an eyebrow. Gilda nodded. “Yes …it was.” “So great that it lasted only an hour since you and your friend must have spent hours at home.” Luna narrowed her eyes. “And judging from when the police said you left, it would have been an hour and a half long party.” “Yeah? So what?” “Most parties last much longer.” Luna snorted. “I have been to my share of parties, so unless it suddenly changed the past few years, I’m sure you’re leaving something out.” “It was just a party.” Sunset added in before shrugging. “We left early.” Luna opened her mouth to continue pushing them, but Celestia put her hand on her sister's shoulder. “Just let it go Luna.” Celestia sighed. “You aren’t a police interrogator.” “Whatever.” Luna backed up. She pointed at her eyes and then towards Sunset and Gilda. “I’m watching you two.” “I’m sure you will.” Gilda snorted before Luna walked away. Celestia let out an exapserated sigh as she watched her sister walk off. “Sunset, you need to be more careful.” Her principal sighed. “I understand.” Sunset nodded. “I have actually been told that a lot recently.” “You should heed their advice.” Her principal leaned forwards. “We only have one life on this world.” “We understand Celestia.” Gilda sighed. “I’m just glad you aren’t yelling at us anymore.” “I was yelling cause I had complete radio silence from you for the past hour.” “I lost my phone at the warehouse.” Sunset muttered. “But I know I should have tried to contact you through other means.” “Sunset.” Celestia put her hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Please remember. I am here to help you. Please don’t hide things from me, or go running off. Never be scared to ask for help.” Sunset gave her principal a soft smile. “I understand. I know that now.” She was given a smile from Celestia who started towards the door. “You are still grounded though.” Unable to hold back a snort, Sunset simply nodded. “I know. Me and Gilda won’t try anything reckless.” Her principal nodded in confirmation before giving the two a small smile. “It’s late you two. Get a good rest and get ready for tomorrow.” Celestia sighed before turning around and walking off. Gilda closed the door after Celestia walked back into her room. She turned towards Sunset who sat down on the bed. “Today did not go the way I thought it would go.” Gilda sighed as she sat down next to Sunset. “Speedsters, changelings, crusaders and super assassins. What have you gotten us into Sunset Shimmer?” “Hey. You chose to come along.” Sunset pouted. That got a hearty laugh out of Gilda. “That’s fair. Can’t ever sit down still.” Gilda was silent for second before continuing. “I guess it is something I was never able to shake off.” “Well. If it means anything, I think it’s a good feature to have.” Sunset shrugged. “Never being able to sit still?” Gilda snorted. “The drive to never stop fighting, to never be passive.” Sunset let out a small snort. “What can I say. I’m the same way.” She looked down at her bracelet. “Do you want to know what I said to myself after Anon-A-Miss began to frame me?” “What did you say?” Gilda asked. Sunset got up off the bed and walked up in front of Gilda. “That Anon-A-Miss can go fuck herself. If I have to fight against the world to get to her, that’s exactly what I’ll do.” She gripped her bracelet where the witchblade was. “Because when the world pushes you down, do you know what you do?” Sunset stuck a middle finger in the air. “You tell them to fuck off! You lift your head up and stick this in their face.” }}}Well said.{{{ Gilda smiled and stood up from the bed. “Well said. Something tells me we’ll get along well.” She pat Sunset on the shoulder. “Just remember you don’t have to fight by yourself.” “I know.” Gilda let out a snort. “So what now?” Sunset scrunched her eyes as she thought long and hard. After a few seconds of thinking, she finally came to a conclusion. “I think now …we sleep. It has been a long day.” “Wisest thing you’ve said all day.” Gilda laughed. Witchblade Diamond Tiara woke up to find herself lying down on a couch in her living room. She looked around, confused, until her eyes noticed her mother sitting on the table next to her. Her mother had a grim expression on her face, one that the woman immediately tried to cover up when she saw that Tiara was awake. “What happened?” Tiara groaned. “All I remember was being with the Canterlot Move Club. Though the reason why escapes me.” “You had a bit too much soda to drink.” Spoiled Rich answered. “Your friends went home with mild headaches.” “Too much soda?” Tiara wracked her brain for any memories of soda, but nothing came to mind. “Don’t remember that happening.” “You need a good nights rest.” Spoiled Rich answered simply. The woman’s opal dress ruffled in unnatural ways, seemingly distorting and shimmering as she stood up. Tiara shook her head though, and just chalked it up to just being the headache pounding in her skull. “Yeah.” Tiara muttered, her thoughts cloudy and muddled. She felt as she was in a haze, like walking out of a dream into another one, stuck transitioning between the two worlds. Usually, she remembered her mother being more strict about improper behavior, but for some reason, Spoiled wasn’t making a fuss about her behavior. “Yeah …sleep.” “Goodnight daughter.” Spoiled said as she watched Diamond Tiara slowly get up and wander out of the living room toward her room. She made sure her daughter walked through her bedroom door and close it as well. Spoiled closed her eyes and let out a sigh as a familiar presence entered her room. She opened her eyes and laced her hands together. She turned towards the figure behind her, an obsidian skinned woman wearing jade armor. “Chrysalis. What is the occasion?” Spoiled asked. “Adagio has been defeated.” The woman answered directly, planting herself onto the couch. “Witchblade wiped the floor with her.” “What?” Spoiled scowled. “Weren’t you there with her?” “I was dealing with the mansion that fell over my head, and the fucking Cyberforce.” “Yet Adagio is still dead.” “Not dead. Defeated. She has been taken into custody for gross negligence. However, rumors that she may put on trial for more egregious crimes.” Chrysalis sighed. “The situation has changed, so we must adapt.” “Must I remind you that you still have yet to deliver. We are doing our part, but if you fail, our contract is void.” Spoiled sneered. “Oh Spoiled. Your intelligence and social awareness is clouded by your pride.” Chrysalis sighed. “Must I remind you the consequences of failure for the wendigos?” The obsidian skinned woman looked up at Spoiled. The woman face scrunched up in pure fury as she resisted the urge to strike at Chrysalis, but even she knew that was foolish. “No.” “Than I suggest you provide me with a more cheerful tone.” Chrysalis scowled. “I have already made the adjustments to our plan. I am here you have also made the proper adjustments.” Spoiled closed her eyes and somberly nodded. “The four horseman …has found their anchors.” “Good. I quite liked them. More civilized and …level-headed.” Chrysalis smiled. “So is the purpose of your visit just a status report?” Spoiled scoffed. “No. There is another matter. Aria has gone rogue and allied with the witchblade. She is against us now. I believe I shouldn’t have to tell you why this is bad.” Chrysalis added. Spoiled bristled at the news. “No, you don’t.” “Good. Then I also don’t need to tell you why she needs to be taken out of the equation as soon as possible.” Chrysalis said. “Get your wendigos on her and the witchblade.” “I’m running thin on resources.” Spoiled scowled. “We are still looking for Lust, Greed, and Wrath.” “Wendigos.” Chrysalis shook her head. “That’s why you demons always fail. Feral, unorganized, and downright uncivilized.” “I’ll get them under control.” Spoiled hissed angrily. “You better. Because if you don’t, I will. And we both know how badly that will end for you.” Chrysalis sneered. The woman walked over towards the window in the living room and flung it open with ease. Two dark green, bony wings sprouted from her back. The woman turned towards Spoiled Rich and shot her a glare. “Two weeks!” Chrysalis jumped out of the window and flew off into the night sky. Spoiled could only watch as she pressed her hands on the windowsill. Something weighed heavily on her, and it was wrapping her heart. It was a feeling of betrayal, a betrayal from her to her daughter. She closed her eyes a let out a sigh. {Having second thoughts? Doubts?} “No. I will see this through.” {I am sure you will.} “I will need to wrangle wrath and lust somehow.” Spoiled snarled. {They won’t escape our grasp forever. Our pride won’t allow them} Spoiled looked out the window and let out a low growl. “I know.” {What about the witchblade and her new ally?} “Their luck will eventually run out.” Spoiled gripped her windowsill, causing it to crack. “Because sooner or later, I’ll find them, and will have to face me.” Author's Note Hello there Hi Wow, this arc was longer than I originally intended it to be. The original arc was extremely short and I intended this arc to be the same length as well. However, multiple wrenches were thrown into the mix and it ended up being much longer than I originally intended. Anyways, I changed the final fight a little bit. The original fight had just Kenneth Irons and Sarah against each other with her partner kind of just there. Also Nottingham gets just kicked out almost immediately and I was so disappointed seeing him just get thrown out the window. Also, the final fight was kind of anti-climatic in the comics when Sarah kind of just destroys Kenneth Irons. I tried to make the fight a bit more two-dimensional, but it is kind of difficult with an object like the witchblade. I am also i including the Cyberforce into this story. Cyberforce and Witchblade are in the same universe, but there is almost no screen time with the both of them on screen. From what I know, cyberforce only appears with Sarah in the artifact series which happened right before the REBOOT. Next arcs will be shorter and a bit more compact and organized. I have plans for them and will get to writing it as soon as possible when I have time. University sucks, but I promise I will get it out and it will be a full arc. I hope you enjoyed reading my fanfic, feel free to write any critiques in the comic below. :) (Case 2-1 Ninkasi): Dread and HungerAfter the fight with the human world’s Adagio Dazzle, Sunset Shimmer was certain that whoever she worked for would retaliate by having one of the biggest sponsors taken out. However, contrary to her belief, the next few days ended up being extremely uneventful. She ended up staying at Celestia’s home for the next week as things began to die down. Though nothing much of note happened, that didn’t mean Sunset Shimmer stayed passive. The day after the Adagio Irons was taken out, Pinkie stopped by Celestia's home. When Sunset answered the door, she was greeted by a massive bear hug and was nearly taken out by Pinkie's enthusiasm. "You're alive! You're alive!" Pinkie cried out while Sunset struggled to breathe. Sunset and Gilda then had to proceed to explain to Celestia what Pinkie meant by that, which took a good day and a half. They ended up making up the cover story that Sunset went with a shady stranger near where the mansion explosion happened. Pinkie got worried, and that was what the girl meant when she said that Sunset was 'alive'. That seemed to do the trick, and Sunset was relieved that she was able to hide the truth from Pinkie and Celestia. She didn't want those two dragged into the mess Sunset was currently residing in. Then, throughout the entire week, she and Gilda tried to further their investigation, with Sunset using her powers of the Witchblade to her advantage. Her new powers allowed her to navigate areas she normally wouldn't have been able to access without the ability to fly or cut through anything she needed to. She ended up breaking and entering many areas in order to get the information she needed. However, despite how much she searched, she ended up finding nothing. It seemed as if all the trails from Anon-A-Miss came to an end or suddenly disappeared. Whoever Adagio was working with didn't want their identity or alliances to be known. They were hiding well, which worried Sunset about how much power and influence these individuals truly had. This didn't stop her, though. She kept updated on Anon-A-Miss using her laptop and kept track of the secrets they were posting. After the incident at Adagio Iron's manor, the number of murders suddenly shot down. After the decrease in mystery murders, she was given more freedom to roam the city, and the police were less stringent. According to the news, Adagio Iron's backdoor dealing with the black market and criminal gangs was being brought to light by an anonymous informant. Much of her wealth was being investigated, but the way it related to her was Adagio's connection with the mystery murders. This mysterious informant brought light to Adagio's efforts to cover the tracks of the murderers, and all the evidence conveniently appeared at the doorstep of multiple police stations and news stations. There were many speculations as to who this mysterious informant was, but Sunset knew that it could only be Aria, wherever she may be at the moment. In many people's eyes, the mystery murders had come to an end, but Sunset knew better. Adagio was only the tip of the iceberg. So Sunset continued working. The Nottingham had confirmed that there was some connection between the mystery murders and Anon-A-Miss, so she began to connect evidence from the two cases. She went back to her apartment and began to work on her evidence board. The time, the victims, the location, and more of the murders and of the Anon-A-Miss posts were all put together. There was a pattern; Sunset was certain of it, but what it was was the million-dollar question. On Saturday, she was visited by Shining Armor and informed that the lockdown and surveillance were finally being lifted. Shining expressed confidence that Sunset and Gilda's life was no longer in danger due to one of the major culprits being caught. "The murderers who were under Adagio Iron's payroll won't dare move for a while, and certainly not against you." Shining armor promised. "We are still looking for the culprits, but I am confident we will catch them soon." Sunset simply nodded and smiled. She hoped it was true, but she doubted it. So, on Saturday, she began to move out of Celestia's home, finally going back to her apartment. Gilda had to convince Celestia to let Sunset go after the principal was informed of the new changes. Sunset wanted to stay and take the woman's offer to stay, but she couldn't. She needed her autonomy, and it was also for Celestia's own safety. The woman reminded her of the Celestia back home in Equestria, and no matter how much she wished to return to a semblance of that life, she knew she couldn't live in the past. After moving all of her stuff back in, with some help from Gilda, she showed the girl her board. While she put her gecko's cage back into her apartment, Gilda looked over the board. They went through some brainstorming and bounced ideas off each other, but they didn't seem to get anywhere. There just wasn't enough evidence somehow, and they needed to wait. That was all they could do in the end. On Sunday, Sunset kept her promise with Pinky and held a sleepover with the girl. Gilda also ended up coming, failing to announce her arrival and scaring the dickens out of the party girl. The permanent scowl on Gilda's face probably didn't help. However, after the usual sling of insults was thrown at each other, Sunset managed to get the both of them to calm down and sit relatively peacefully together in her apartment. The three of them were in the middle of watching a movie about a vampire slayer named Buffy. It was a fun show, but her mind was wandering elsewhere. She couldn't help but focus on recent events, on everything that had happened and occurred the past week. At this point, she would have preferred if Anon-A-Miss made further moves because the radio silence and lack of activity were nerve-wracking. She could only imagine what plans the demons had, and if they were taking so long, it couldn't have been good. "Sunset? You okay?" Pinkie asked, snapping Sunset out of her trance. "Y-yeah. Just a lot of things on my mind." Sunset nodded. "It's nothing to be worried about." "Sunset, I can tell when something is on your mind. Want to talk about it?" Pinkie asked. "It's nothing. I promise." "Sunny ..." "She said to drop it." Gilda snapped. "You don't get to tell me what to do!" Pinkie shot back. "Guys, drop it." Sunset sighed, feeling drained from the tension between the two. "I'm sorry, Pinkie. I'm just feeling a bit drained." "I understand..." Pinkie muttered. "So am I." That statement caused Sunset to raise an eyebrow. From all the time she had spent with Pinkie and known her, the girl never seemed to run out of energy. However, now, Pinkie seemed to be a bit distant and much quieter than she had ever been. "What's wrong? You're quieter than usual." Sunset asked Pinkie. "It's just stuff at home." Pinkie sighed. There was a second of silence as the girl rubbed her face. "Maud is being a bit overprotective of me at the moment." "Are you sure? Thought that was Limestone's thing." Gilda snorted. "So did I, but after the attack on our home ....Maud blames it on you." Pinkie sighed. "She warned me to stay away from you for my own safety. Whatever that means." "Never took Maud to be an overprotective one," Sunset muttered. "Neither did I. We got into an argument, and I can tell when Maud is getting frustrated," Pinkie explained. "Things at my house are getting tense. That's it." The girl explained. "I know you'll figure it out, Pinkie." Sunset smiled as she patted the girl gently on the shoulder. "You always do. Remember the time when you tried to throw a forgiveness party for Diamond Tiara?" Sunset snorted. That got a chuckle out of the party girl. "She ended up complaining about the glitter and confetti on her clothes for weeks," Pinkie smirked. "You can never go overboard with confetti and glitter, though!" "I remember that party." Gilda nodded. "You blew out one of the windows in the classroom." "I sure did." Pinkie laughed. "I'm not sure how you even managed that!" Gilda snorted. "It was honestly astonishing!" "It's a trade secret." Pinkie smiled. She let out a small laugh before turning towards Sunset. "Thank you." "Things will get better Pinkie. Don't let anyone dampen your party mood." Sunset smirked. "Also you too Gilda!" Pinkie blurted abruptly as she suddenly enveloped the girl in a large bear hug. Gilda raised her hands up with an expression that seemed to be standing between choosing either to explode as a ticking time bomb or coughing in awkwardness. Sunset raised an eyebrow and stared Gilda in the eyes to tell say 'let Pinke have this one thing'. Gilda let out a sigh and awkwardly pat Pinkie, causing the girl's hair to bounce a bit. "Ok, ok. That's enough touchy feelings for today." The girl grumbled as Pinkie continued to hold onto her. "Let go now!" "Sorry." Pinkie said as she retracted her hug. "Thanks guys." "Don't worry about it Pinkie." Sunset nodded. "We'll be here for you whenever you need us." "I know," Pinkie said as she leaned against Sunset, not noticing Gilda's building frustration that seemed as if it was going to erupt any time soon. "I just hope ....things get better soon." "So do I." Sunset muttered. "So do I." Witchblade The next day, Sunset was awoken up by the alarm blaring next to her ear. She let out a small grumble and shut the alarm off, and dragged herself out of bed. She managed to kick Gilda up and shake the girl awake while Pinkie quickly jumped up and began to get ready for the school day. Her energy seemed to have returned, which made Sunset happy for the girl. Gilda seemed less enthusiastic, saying that the girl needed to 'go easy on the sugar'. After they all managed to get dressed and ready, they walked and made their way to the bus stop. Sunset began to miss her bike. The fact that it got turned into molten slag by the demons and thanks to the Nottingham. She couldn't help but grumble as she sat down on the bus bench next to Gilda. "I miss my bike." Sunset couldn't help but grumble. "I miss my car." Gilda snorted. "Oh yeah, you both lost your vehicles, didn't you?" Pinkie pointed out as she swung her legs from her seat. "Why was that warehouse so combustible?" Gilda growled. "What kind of imbecile leaves such hazardous materials just lying around." "ChangeData is doing an internal investigation." Sunset shrugged. "But we both know how that will go." "Well, at least it's all past us now." Pinkie beamed as she bounced in her seat. Sunset's focus was on the street, waiting for the bus to arrive, that she failed to notice the two figures approaching her until they were right next to her. The hint that alerted her to the arrival of two new people was a low growl. She looked over her shoulder to see none other than Octavia and her girlfriend, Vinyl. "Of course you're here," Octavia grumbled. "Nice to see you too. I see you're in a good mood." "Oh please, you know what you did." Octavia sneered. "Had a lot of time to work on Anon-A-Miss, didn't you, with your break." "Hey, it was for her own safety!" Pinkie protested. "Yeah, right! If she was at the warehouse, she wouldn't be standing here!" Octavia snapped. "She would be a puddle on the ground! Not to mention Anon-A-Miss conveniently posted right before she supposedly disappeared!" "Ah, shit. That post." Sunset mumbled under her breath. After everything that had happened, the post from Anon-A-Miss about Octavia and her secret eating habits had gone under her radar. "The one where you bought the double scoop ice-cream cone, right?" Pinkie pursed her lips. "Oh. Now I remember." "Seriously? You're pissed over a stupid photo of you stuffing your face? Out of anything else that could have gotten your panties in a twist, that was what made you angry?" Gilda snorted. "My parents gave me hell after that photo!" Octavia roared. Everyone around her did a double take except for Gilda, who simply just raised an eyebrow. "She's making me ...." Octavia looked away with a scowl. "Not giving you any more information." "Make you do what?" Sunset asked. "Damn you to hell, Shimmer!" Octavia snapped before turning away and walking off. The girl turned her back to the ground and stood next to the bus stop sign. Vinyl turned towards Sunset and let out a small sigh before following after her girlfriend to comfort her. "Blast. How could I forget that Anon-A-Miss pinned everything on me." Sunset mumbled. "I was so focused on the recent murders ...." She muttered under her breath. "I haven't been on MyStable for a while," Pinkie admitted. "Didn't like the vibe it was giving." The girl turned to Sunset. "Ignore them, Sunny. They are just a bunch of meanies. Anyone who thinks it's you never liked you from the beginning anyways." "Does that include Rarity, Appledash, Rainbow, and Fluttershy?" Sunset asked. That earned Pinkie's silence as the girl stared down at the ground. "Honestly. I'm the most forgiving one of the group. Rarity never really forgave you for what you did at the spring fling. Appledash has a long memory, and Fluttershy ....well, when her trust is broken ....; and RainbowDash is protective of her." Pinkie shrugged. "I think they forgave, but never forgot." "I don't think you lot ever forgave Sunset." Gilda snorted. "Hey! I did forgive her!" "Only after a magical princess from another country asked you to." Gilda turned towards Pinkie. "She had to ask you to do her a favor in order to open up to her. To me, that sounds like something you were roped into doing, not something you wanted to." "Well, how would you know?" Pinkie pouted. "I'll let you know I threw Sunset the biggest Forgiveness party I could." "Guys, shut it!" Sunset snapped as she rested her chin against her hands. "We need to focus! Anon-A-Miss is the issue ahead of us." }}}I disagree. The demons that attacked us are the biggest issue at the moment. They still have not yet been caught.{{{ 'I am aware. Thank you Witchblade }}}I understand that you are enjoying the company of your friends and mate, but the demons take priority over your relationships.{{{ 'She's not my ....Forget it. I can do both' }}}Many wielders have tried to manage their friendships and romantic life along with their duties. It never ended well. I suggest you learn from their mistakes and focus more on the demons.{{{ 'Anon-A-Miss is related to the demons, so I am handling it.' }}}That site is a simple front. We both know this. What we need to do is patrol more.{{{ 'I can't. I've got class. I'm a high school student, remember? }}}Schooling is temporary, duty is eternal.{{{ 'I'm not skipping class.' }}}I have heard little of this high school, but it sounds boring and a waste of time. I suspect you aren't going for experience, but rather to hang out with your mate.{{{ 'You say mate one more time, and I'm banging you against the seat.' }}}Apologies ....I mean to say, concubines.{{{{ In response to the snarky comment, Sunset immediately lifted up her right hand and slammed it against the metal bench, causing the bracelet to shake. She could feel it heating up on her wrist, and the Witchblade's feeling about her current action echoed within her mind. }}}How dare you! Do you understand what I am? My power!? I have defeated gods' demons and brought kings to their knees! You will show me the proper respect or else....!{{{ 'If you had such power, you wouldn't need a wielder.' A second of silence passed without a single word while Gilda and Pinkie gave Sunset a weird glance. "Is something wrong with your wrist?" Pinkie asked. "It's nothing." Sunset smiled. "Just a bug. I swatted it, and now it's gone." }}}Go fuck yourself{{{ 'Noted.' "Listen Pinkie. Things are going to be hairy when we get on campus. I'm going to have to ask the two of you to distance yourself away from us." Sunset muttered. "What, why?" "You saw how things were before the break." Sunset sighed. "And seeing how Octavia reacted, one of the more calmer individuals at Canterlot High ...I shudder to imagine how the school is like." "That is true." Gilda nodded. "But we're not leaving you behind. Remember, we're partners now." "I know, but you guys won't help much if you're also being harassed by the students." Sunset put a hand on Gilda's shoulder. "You'll still be helping, but I need eyes on the sidelines." "I'm not leaving you behind ...." "It's not a life and death situation." Sunset snorted. "But we need to play it smart and get rid of any unnecessary risks. If things get violent, then you can step in." She turned towards Pinkie. "The both of you. Right now, any attention is bad for us." "I don't like it." Gilda muttered. "I can deal with the bullying and sabotage. I have dealt with it before." Sunset pat Gilda on the back. "I won't get hurt. I promise you." Despite her words, Sunst could still see Gilda hesitating. She knew that when they arrived back at Canterlot High, there would be many hostilities thrown at her. She was certain that she could wear the storm, but whether or not Gilda and Pinkie could was a whole other issue. She was certain Gilda would resort to violence if other students began to harass her, and she wasn't sure what Pinkie would do. "We need to be smart about this you two." Sunset murmured. "If Anon-A-Miss suspects we are working together, she will retaliate." Gilda let out a frustrated sigh. "Okay. We'll hang back, but the moment things get hairy, I'm stepping in." "I don't doubt it." Sunset nodded as the bus finally arrived before them, pulling into the stop. "Okay, guys, stay a couple of feet behind me. There might be other students on that bus." Sunset muttered before getting up from the bench. "On it." Gilda affirmed as Sunset walked up the bus. She walked up the steps and saw that the bus had a few Canterlot High School students. They all shot her downright murderous looks so she averted her eyes and looked out the window instead. In the corner of her eyes, she could see Gilda and Pinkie getting on the bus with Octavia and Vinyl right behind them. Sunset ducked her head down in the corner as she watched her two friends in the corner of her eye. The two sat down a couple of seats down. She hoped that nobody on the bus would raise an eyebrow at them sitting next to each other at the bus stop; however, this was the best she could think of at the moment. 'Ok Witchblade. At school, I'm going to be harassed and pushed around. I'm going to have to ask you to not kill or seriously hurt anyone.' }}}I have looked through your memories. It is quite disturbing what lengths these students will do to harass you.{{{ 'They are just dumb High schoolers. They have scrap for brains and are ruled more by hormones than basic logic. Don't activate if I'm tripped or pushed over.' }}}I don't like my wielders being attacked without retaliation. Too many of my wielders had taken the same stance and suffered awful fates because of it.{{{ 'I don't want to cause any unnecessary bloodshed.' }}}Sometimes bloodshed is necessary.{{{ ' Maybe. But that's not me.' }}}It is like I have said before. Many wielders failed to heed my advice, and it cost them their lives.{{{ ' Maybe they didn't appreciate you calling their loved ones concubines.' Sunset felt the bracelet hum, and she felt emotion emanating from the artifact. It was a strange feeling. It was like experiencing the feeling herself but at a distance. She knew it came from the Witchblade, and from what she could infer, it was grumbling. }}}You are lucky I am not petty.{{{ ' And I am eternally grateful.' The bus ride didn't take long until Sunset saw her school come into view. She looked out the window and saw that many students were hanging outside. The bell hadn't rung yet, and when Sunset looked down at her watch, she saw there was a good twenty minutes before school started. "Piss." Sunset cursed. "Guess I'll have to weather the harassment." She muttered before heading out of the bus. The moment she stepped out of the bus, it was as if an ill wind had passed by her and spread throughout the entire courtyard in front of the school. Sunset looked around and saw many students sitting at the statue or at the steps leading up into the school. The students who caught her eye were those who were recently included in Anon-A-Miss. It was a strange group, with the most unlikely people she would see together, along with two she was certain weren't from the campus. Maud Pie, Berry Punch, and two others wearing a magenta uniform and skirt. The two strangers had a badge on their chest with a light teal button-up shirt underneath it. One had orchid skin, and the other was a shade of light magenta. The two seemed to be in deep conversation with Maud and Berry, with a couple of students giving them ugly glares as well. "So you suspect it might be Big Mac and Gladmane, but you don't know. Fantastic." Sunset overheard the orchid-skin girl snap. "Go eat dirt Suri." Berry Punch snapped. "And do your damn job." "You two should leave no. We're attracting too much attention." Maud said. "Fleur, I hope you'll behave yourself from now on." "Why do you always have to ruin my fun?" The Light magenta girl asked, which Sunset assumed was Fleur. "Because you always get slime everywhere." The one Sunset assumed was Suri snapped. "Let's get back to Crystal Prep and give Indigo the sit rep." "Indigo won't be happy about this, you know." Fleur snapped. "Sleep with her, and I'm sure she'll change her mind." Berry Punch scoffed. "Hardy har." Fleur snarled as she and Suri stormed off towards a sleek, dark magenta and purple car. The two slid into the car before it drove away down the street. }}}Suspicous.{{{ 'Agreed. But it's probably just some high school drama. They are probably trying to get dirt on other students. Not really a priority Sunset agreed. Before she could focus on where Maud and Berry were heading, a loud pop got her attention. She looked over her shoulder to see Applejack with her brother, Big Mac. They looked to be unloading what looked to be crates of apple sauce from the back of their truck. "I'm going to kill the Flim Flam brothers one day." Sunset heard Big Mac growl. "Don't let them get under your skin Big Mac." Applejack sighed. "I can't help it. Whenever I see them, I just want to rip off their head and bleed them dry." "Big Mac ...you need to stop listening to Granny Smith's story about her old western days." Applejack sighed. As Sunset listened on their conversation, she realized all of the sudden how far away Applejack was from her, and the same for Maud Pie and her small group. They were well beyond her usual range of hearing, but somehow, she was able to pick up on their conversation quite easily. 'Why do I have super hearing all of a sudden?' }}}I grant physical boons as well to my user. Your perceptions are sharpened and have better reaction speed.{{{ 'That would have been good to know.' Sunset snorted. }}}You should also thank Sara. Her passive traits are the enhancement of her detective abilities. These aren't the full extent of course, but while it is off, it grants these small boons.{{{ 'Even now, that woman is still helping me.' Sunset raised an eyebrow. 'Are there other users like her? You mentioned you have had many.' }}}Yes. But they have not reached out to you yet. You don't need their assistance yet, and they do not wish to overwhelm you.{{{ 'Being a wielder does come with a lot of perks, doesn't it' }}}For the trials ahead, such abilities are required. To fight gods, one must be able to stand up agaist them.{{{ 'You are just the beacon of positivity, aren't you?' }}}Of course. I ooze out positivity. I am practically made out of it{{{ 'I'm going to have to show you a dictionary one day and show you what sarcasm means.' Sunset rolled her eyes as she reached the steps leading up to the school. As she walked up the stairs and into the hallways of the school, ugly glares were shot her way. The situation was tense, and it made her a bit nervous as she kept on guard from any who would try to harass her. Scowls surrounded her, and she made sure to stay clear of anyone walking towards her. However, with the number of students there was in the school, a couple bumped into her roughly, causing her to stumble. ' Teenagers.' }}}You're the same age as them{{{ 'But I trained under a princess. I am more mature than them.' Sunset argued. ' Besides, I am technically an adult' }}}The human brain doesn't develop until twenty-five.{{{ 'Whate-wait. How do you know that?' }}}I am a being of great power! We know such tidbits of information.{{{ Unfortunately, Sunset's conversation with the Witchblade about the age of maturity and whether or not she had the right to look down on the students of the school came to an abrupt stop when she nearly ran into a girl standing in her way. She looked up and saw it was none other than Bon Bon. The girl had a scowl on her face and was giving Sunset a murderous glare, which conveyed how much Bon Bon wished to shove Sunset into a volcano. Her expression didn't match well with the cobalt jacket she wore, which had a smiling candy wrapper in the middle. "Well, aren't you in a cheery mood." "Take the post down." Bon Bon scowled. "What post?" "Don't play dumb with me! You know what I am talking about!" 'I suddenly wish I had my phone on me.' }}}I have it. If you wished to retrieve it, of course.{{{ 'Wait, what?' }}}I do. Unfortunately, you have to be in the Witchblade form in order to retrieve it.{{{ 'We need to work on our communication.' Sunset rolled her eyes. "If I told you I wasn't Anon-A-Miss, would you believe me?" Sunset asked. "Don't play dumb with me!" Bon Bon snapped. "We all know it's you. Your lies aren't fooling anyone. I'm not sure how you managed to fool Celestia and the police, but no student in CHS is falling for it anymore!" "Lies? Bon Bon, I was caught in a warehouse explosion, how could I fake that? Half the block saw it occur." "I don't believe that you were there. You just made it up to make everyone in the city feel sorry for poor old Shimmer!" Bon Bon shouted. "Nobody believes you were knocked out before being carried home by some shadowy, mysterious benefactor!" Sunset let out an audible sigh as she pressed the crown of her nose. She remembered that story that was portrayed on the news. What happened that day was largely shadowed by her as well, but she would rather not announce the truth to the entire world, and that was if they believed her. She didn't blame Shining Armor for making that cover story since he was working off very little information, but she just wished he had put a bit more effort into creating a more plausible story. "Ok fine, you don't believe me. Why are you upset again?" Sunset asked, hoping the topic would move away from what happened at the warehouse. She didn't want any more attention on what happened that day than was needed. "The post!" "What post?! There are hundreds!" Bon Bon scowled as her gaze focused on the ground. There was a second of silence before the girl finally answered. "The one about Octavia, the one that called her a fat cow." That cleared things up. Sunset still remembered the post right before the warehouse explosion. It was what led her down this rabbit hole in the first place. She knew that it was Throax who took the picture, even though he didn't write the post himself. Still, Sunset made a mental note to kick the guy in the shin the next time she saw him. "Ah. That one." "Yeah." "Listen, Bon Bon, I'm sorry that Octavia was hurt. But you can't take your anger out on me ..." Sunset began but was interrupted as Bon Bon grabbed her by the coat. "Do you know what her parents are doing to her!?" Bon Bon angrily roared. "What?" "They're starving her! To keep her figure after they saw that post!" Bon Bon shouted. "So you will take it down, or else I will make you take it down!" "Bon Bon. I am being very patient ...." Sunset managed out before Bon Bon shoved her into the locker. "Take it down now ...." "Or else what?" Sunset asked, her patience beginning to wear thin. "I'll smear you across these lockers." "I dare you to try." Sunset growled. She quickly struck Bon Bon across the face, causing the girl to stumble back. Bon Bon quickly recovered and raised her fist up, aimed directly at Sunset before her arm was grabbed. "Bon Bon enough!" Lyra cried out. "It's not worth it, let it go!" "I've dealt with worse than her. I can take her on!" "This isn't what Octavia wanted! Let it go Bon Bon!" Lyra pleaded. "Don't make it worse." Bon Bon closed her eyes and grit her teeth before finally relenting. She wiped her cheek while Lyra stepped in front of the girl. "Just go. You've done enough damage already." Lyra scowled before she led Bon Bon away. Sunset watched the two walk off as she tried to shake the heavy feeling off her chest. Before Anon-A-Miss, she was getting closer to them and was making progress in her amends with them for all the bullying she had done before Twilight. However, it was all brought down after the posts began, and now she was back to square one. She turned away and walked back down the hallway with a heavy heart while ignoring the malicious and angry glares thrown her way. The day just started, and she was already reminded of the broken friendships caused thanks to Anon-A-Miss. She could only hope that all of this would be over soon. Witchblade Lightning Dust followed Berry Punch into one of the empty classrooms. Berry closed the blinds and locked the door before walking all the way to the very back, next to a pair of closets where she ended up standing. "What's the issue?" Lightning asked as she approached the girl. "Got another job for you." "Payment first." Berry Punch scowled as she reached into her backpack and tossed Lightning a stack of bills. The girl let out a whistle as she began counting through it. "It's all there." Berry Punch took out a bottle of whisky and took a swig from it. "I'm stressed to all hell, and here you are making it worse. Do you know how thin the ice I am on right now?" "Not really, no." "It's really friggin thin." Berry barked. "And that's my problem, How?" "Because you're going to help me resolve it." Berry snapped. "So unless you want to continue being paid, I suggest you do what you're told." Lightning bristled at that. She tried to talk back, but Berry glared at her, and chills went up the girl's spine. Berry wasn't one to seem threatening, but when she got angry, she could stare down many people. Those who didn't take the hint and refused to back off ....it never went well for them. "Fine." Lightning relented. "Had a small incident at a certain store." "The shitty cafe, right? SugarCube Corner?" "I quite like that cafe." Berry snapped. "But the issue is a couple of witnesses." "And who is that?" "Pinkie Pie, Gilda, and Sunset Shimmer." Berry Punch scowled. "Ooh, the big three." Lightning smiled. "You must have made some impression cause those three are now hanging out together." "Pinkie and Gilda still think Sunset is Anon-A-Miss." "No, they don't. Saw them this morning, they are working together." Lightning Dust pocketed the money into her backpack. "They walked some distance from each other, but it's an amateur move. Their demeanor and behavior ...tells me that they have some sort of arrangement." "Then that's worse." Berry snapped. "Those three are witnesses to my slip-up at the cafe, and that Sunset girl is onto us." "So what do you want me to do?" Lightning raised an eyebrow. "Want me to kill them?" "I have a buffet happening tonight." Berry scowled. "I will be using my Wendigo humanoid form there, and they will recognize it. I need them to not be there, how you accomplish that is up to you." "Buffet? You mean the charity event to bring awareness to cyberbullying?" "Bah, just in name. The real goal is to get as many people in one place as possible. The three people I don't need there ..." "Is Sunset, Pinkie, and Gilda." Lightning nodded. "Got it." "And that Bon Bon girl." "Bon Bon?" "Yes. She's onto me as well. She knows my true form, the same one I am going to use tonight. Get rid of them before the event, and I pay you extra. Go it?" Berry Punch sneered. "Can do boss." Lightning Dust took out a small notebook. "Want fries with that?" "And a large soda." Berry Punch took another swig from her bottle. "Now go." Lightning let out a snort but obeyed, walking out of the classroom with a small snicker. Berry simply watched the girl storm off as she nursed the bottle of whisky in her hands. {Sloth and the other sins won't be happy about this.} 'After tonight, we won't need to care what the hell they think.' {Do you trust the shadowbolts to not slip up?} 'They were recommended by Chrysalis.' Berry Punch smirked. 'If they do mess up, I'll teach them a lesson.' {Is everything set up? Is the Melody family ready?} 'Yes. Octavia shouldn't be caught by the spell, so her mother shouldn't make a fuss.' Berry Punch swirled the alcohol bottle in her hands. 'Are you sure we need to take your form to eat? {I feed on gluttony. I require my true form to cause those around us to indulge in it, and for us to feed most efficiently, they must be acting gluttonous.} Berry Punch sighed as she opened up her mouth and swallowed the bottle of whisky, glass and all. It went down her throat, and she could feel it break and snap as it went down her throat. It didn't feel the same as bone snapping and the texture of meat, but it satiated her hunger for the time being. Soon, though, she wouldn't have to settle for half-measures and could go for the real thing, and that thought excited her. Now, all she needed to do ....was wait. Witchblade Sunset managed to get through her morning classes without much more incident. There were the usual objects thrown at her, but she shrugged it off, already used to it at this point. However, it didn't help much with catching up on all the material she had missed during the week. Even though she managed to get all the homework and assignments done, thanks to Celestia providing it to her, it didn't provide her with much learning. So, she was trying to play catch up while also trying to understand the new material. When she finally arrived at lunch, she sat down at the table in a huff and looked around the cafeteria. She saw Pinkie Pie sitting with the other rainbooms, and Gilda looked to be speaking to the diamond dogs. Knowing Gilda, she was trying to intimidate them to get information, and it seemed to be working as one of the diamond dogs recoiled from the girl. Sunset kept her head down while eating her lunch but also tried to see the going ons around her. A couple tables down, the Canterlot Movie Club and a certain Diamond Tiara sat down with their lunches. The four had tired expressions on their faces, and Diamond Tiara had bags under her eyes. There was a bit of silence as the four of them began to pick at their foods. "No sleep?" Diamond Tiara muttered. "Yeah. It's been happening for the past week after the meeting with your mother." Applebloom mumbled. "Whatever she gave us is screwing with my brain." "Yeah. Rarity isn't happy about that, by the way." Sweetie Belle nodded. "Oh yeah. My mom was on the phone with them the other day." Diamond Tiara sighed. "I can't remember anything." "Did your mother give us drugs or something?" Scootaloo scoffed. "Knowing my mother ...I wouldn't be surprised," Tiara mumbled. "I hate her so much. Why does your father tolerate her?" Applebloom grumbled. "Beats me." "Well, my parents aren't going to let me over to your house anytime soon." Sweetie Belle snorted. "But at least our absences were excused." "Anything can be excused when you're one of the biggest donors to the school." Tiara scoffed. "She buys her way through everything. Tosses money at everything." "Yeah." Scootaloo let out a loud exhale as she looked over at Sunset, who was eating alone in the cafeteria. "She's still here." "Yep. She's one stubborn son of a bitch." Applebloom snorted. "Gotta give her that." "We got what we wanted, why does Spoiled Rich want us to continue?" Sweetie Belle asked. "I wish I knew." Tiara shook her head. "But you know how she is. She won't let us stop until she's satisfied." "What does she even have to gain from all of this?" Applebloom scowled. "She has all the money in the world, can't she just be happy?" "It's not just about the money Applebloom." Tiara shook her head. "I wish it was, but it's not." "Whatever it is, I hope she gets it soon. I'm tired of Sunset getting pushed around. We got what we wanted, and we've been spending more time with our sisters." Sweetie Belle mumbled. "Why can't we just stop?" Applebloom scoffed. "Ain't nothing she can do about it." "We both know that isn't true." Tiara shook her head. "She's got connections and contacts and knows we're the ones who started it. If we stop ...." "We become the next victims." Scootaloo sighed as she leaned back from her food. "I don't like it either, but we can't go back. We don't have a choice." "We always have a choice." Sweetie Belle protested. "Yeah. The choice of becoming the next martyrs or not." Scootaloo shook her head. "It's either us versus Sunset, and I choose us." "I just ....feel bad for her." Sweetie Belle muttered. "Oh please, why? She was a bully for years." Scootallo snorted. Diamond Tiara looked away as Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo began to argue. She looked at Sunset Shimmer, seeing how the girl was eating all by herself, looking down miserably at her food. It caused her heart to weigh down heavily, the sin of her betrayal hanging from her neck. Once upon a time, Sunset helped her become a better person, to get into the good graces of the Canterlot movie club, and this was how she repaid her. Tiara whispered under her breath, out of ear's reach from the other club members. "I feel bad for her too." Tiara whispered. "I just hope she can forgive me." Around this time, Pinkie Pie sat down to join the rest of the rainbooms at the lunch table. She noticed the Canterlot Movie Club arguing again, but about what, she couldn't hear. Her attention was more focused on how lonely Sunset looked, sitting and eating by herself at the lunch table. "Are you alright, darling?" Rarity asked, breaking Pinkie out of her trance. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" Pinkie replied as cheerfully as she could. "You had a distant look on your face." Rarity looked at Pinkie with concern. "If you need support, we're all here for you." "We all are." Rainbow smiled. "If the woman who attacked you returns, give me a call, and I'll give her a piece of my mind. And my foot." The sports girl grinned. "Seriously though, what happened? The news was all very vague about it." Rarity pointed out. "Well, you see ..." Pinkie sighed before she began to tell the rainbooms everything. She told them about how the attack started and how the cops were thrown aside like they were made of nothing, how there were these creatures called changelings, insectoid beings with immense strength. The woman who attacked her wore a mask that covered her facial features. Pinkie explained how the woman caught bullets out of the air like it was nothing and how she swatted the rest of her family as if they were nothing but insects. She then finished her tale about how she was thrown outside her home before a mysterious woman, clad in scanty metallic armor, arrived to help, who swept her away and flew her to safety. The last bits of her tale recounted the fight between the two mysterious women, their clash ringing throughout the air. "Caught bullets out of the air? Especially from a shotgun?" Applejack muttered in disbelief. "Are you sure you saw it correctly? Pinkie Pie could only nod in affirmation. "She seemed to be only after me, though. She spared the rest of my family." "Could she be a monster? Like the sirens?" Rarity pointed out. Pinkie Pie shook her head. "If she was, she would have transformed when the other mysterious woman appeared." "Why didn't the news say anything about this? They said it was some criminal organization!" Rainbow exclaimed. "What would the public think if the cops said that there were people catching bullets in midair and insectoid soldiers serving said person?" Rarity asked. "They most likely didn't want to be called lunatics." "And that isn't mentioning what happened at the cafe," Pinkie muttered. "The masked woman was there as well?" Rainbow asked. Pinkie shook her head. "Demon is all I can say. There was this woman, she is a regular patron at the cafe ..." She began. "Her skin is orange, and there is a mouth on her stomach." "So we got demons and women who can catch bullets out of the air." Applejack muttered. "Fantastic. As if we weren't already deep in shit already." "Maybe Sunset knows ...." Fluttershy began. "No! I'm not talking to that backstabber." Rainbow snapped. "But she might hold the answers ...." "She betrayed our trust, and she still refuses to own up to it. I won't let my friends be harmed by her." Rainbow growled. "We'll solve this without her." "How about we ask Twilight? That girl always had the answers to these magic-related stuff!" Rarity offered. "Sunset has the book." Applejack muttered. "So no go unless you want to go begging Sunset for help." "Then we can take it from her! She's got to let go of it at some time!" Rainbow snapped. "Ah, yes. I can imagine the conversation now. Hey, Twilight, how has your day been? By the way, murderous demons and super assassins that can catch bullets out of the air is wandering the city and carving it up like a cake. Why haven't we asked Sunset? Because she is a backstabbing bitch, and we don't want to ask her for help." Rarity scoffed. "I'm sure that conversation will go well for us." "Well, we have to do something!" Rainbow snapped. "We aren't seriously considering stealing the book from her, are we?" Fluttershy whimpered. "Unfortunately, we might have to." Applejack shook her head. "If it's a problem even a gun can't solve ... then we are plumb out of options. We'll have to take the book." Pinkie sat there dumbfounded. "Do you hear what you are saying?! You are treating her like some criminal or monster!" She exclaimed. "Pinkie, she terrorized the school for years! And now she is causing all this chaos at school! We have to do something!" Rarity gasped. "She saved my life!" Pinkie slammed her hand down on the table. "And she saved Gilda's life! Not only that, she is looking for Anon-A-Miss this entire time! All this time, all she has been doing is help others, and she nearly died!" "Gilda was just being hysterical ..." Rarity began but was interrupted as Pinkie stood up angrily from her seat. "Gilda is many things, hysterical is not one of them." Pinkie snapped. "I believe her, and from what I saw, I believe Sunset!" The girl picked up her tray and began walking away. "Pinkie! Where are you going?!" Rainbow shouted. "To sit with my friend!" Pinkie snapped back. Sunset was staring at Octavia and her friends at their table, not noticing Pinkie approaching her. She noted that Bon Bon was acting a bit suspicious. The girl's manner and movements weren't that of a regular high schooler when she was speaking to the others. It seemed too cold and rigid, reflecting the actions of a cold-blooded assassin than any high school teenager. "Hey Sunset." Pinkie said cheerfully. Sunset turned towards Pinkie, breaking her line of sight from Bon Bon. "Pinkie, what are you doing here?" Sunset hissed. "Eating with my friend, of course." Pinkie smiled cheerfully. "You're painting a target on your back," Sunset whispered as she looked around the cafeteria, noticing eyes focusing on them. "They'll suspect that you're Anon-A-Miss too!" "They can suspect all they want." Pinkie gave Sunset a small smile. "I'm sitting with my friends. Friends do everything together and ..." Pinkie grabbed Sunset's hand. "They make each other smile." Sunset let out a small sigh. "Once you made up your mind, there's nothing I can say to convince you otherwise. You do know what you are getting yourself into, though, right?" She muttered. Pinkie nodded yet again. "I do. But who cares what those meanies think." She scoffed. "Besides, sooner or later, Anon-A-Miss would have found out about us sooner or later." Sunset let out a weak laugh at the girl's tenacity. She could understand why the element of laughter chose her as the bearer. The girl fit the element perfectly to the very core. }}}First that Gilda girl, and now her. Do you have a goal you're working towards?{{{ 'Silence.' Before she could get into yet another argument with a sentient object, Gilda suddenly appeared, sitting down next to Pinkie. The girl had that glint in her eyes, the one that said whatever was on their mind was urgent; however, Sunset had to gripe first. "What did I say about keeping a low profile?" Sunset muttered. "Screw that. I got some good information." Gilda snapped. "Besides, Anon-A-Miss would have found out about our little pow-wow here eventually." "Of course." Sunset sighed. "Anyways. I have some good information that Bon Bon is suspect." "Wh-Why would she betray her own friends?" Sunset snorted. "Shut up and listen. Bon Bon isn't her real name." "What?" Pinkie gasped. "Quiet down!" Gilda snapped. "Don't want this to get out." Pinkie nodded and made a zipping motion over her lips. "Her real name is Sweetie Drops." Gilda whispered. "And guess who she used to work for." "The Spanish inquisition!" Pinkie raised her hand excitedly. "I'll admit. I didn't expect that." Gilda chortled. "But no. For ChangeData, as one of their child soldiers." The girl explained. Pinkie let out a gasp. "What a twist." "That seems implausible." Sunset shook her head. "I've known Bon Bon for a while, and she doesn't seem the type." "Does it? How she's somehow able to pull off nearly impossible favors for her friends? How was she able to fight you off during the fall formal?" Gilda raised an eyebrow. "Seems plausible to me." "Where did you even get this information from?" Sunset whispered. "The diamond dogs," Gilda explained. "Apparently, a couple of years ago, they were shaking down Lyra for cash cause they're a bunch of pricks." The girl snorted. "That's when Bon Bon appears out of nowhere and takes the three down. During the tussle, an emblem fell out of Bon Bon's backpack." "What kind of emblem?" Sunset asked. "A green emblem that is in the shape of an insectoid with the initials C.Q. on it." Gilda whispered. Sunset rubbed her chin. "Q and C." She muttered. "Queen Chrysalis? No ....there was only a Chrysalis Queen" "You know her?" "Met her at the party. She was charming. I knew a Queen Chrysalis back in my world, but she was an immortal bug woman, not some CEO." "Didn't the ChangeData logo from the cafe fight tip you off?" Gilda rolled her eyes. "To be fair ...I wasn't in a good mindset back then." "You mean Adagio had you wrapped around her finger." "Hey, let's switch topics okay thanks." Sunset snapped hurriedly. "Okay, Chrysalis is a bastard. We have established that, and Bon Bon works for said prick, allegedly." "And she attacked you the week after you blew up the party." Gilda whispered. "Coincidence?" "Wait, you blew up a mansion without me?!" Pinkie gasped. "I didn't, Adagio did." Sunset corrected. "What were the sirens doing there?" "It's her mirror," Sunset explained. "Seems like even they have their mirror counterparts here." She muttered. "Oh boy. I wonder if she has the same hips." Pinkie nudged Gilda. "Pinkie focus." Sunset sighed, burying her head into her arms. "Okay, it's not much. But it's a lead. Wish we had Thorax here to confirm it." "I still have his number." Gilda shrugged. Sunset looked up from her arms. "What?" "Yeah. I can call him." Gilda took out her phone and showed it to Sunset. "Want me to do it now?" "Yes! Please!" Sunset snapped. Gilda nodded. "I'll do it after lunch. What do we do about Bon Bon in the meantime?" Sunset blew a raspberry as she racked her brain. "We can confront her after school, I guess? Just tell Throax to get here as soon as humanly possible." She grumbled. Gilda gave a cheeky smile. "Don't worry Sunset. You can rely on me." Gilda smirked as she reached into Pinkie's tray and yoinked a piece of bread. "Hey!" Pinkie protested. "Food tax." Gilda said with a full mouth. The two then began to argue, which caused Sunset to slam her head into the table. }}}You have strange taste in woman.{{{ Sunset pushed her skull further into the table in response. Witchblade For the rest of the day, Sunset managed to get through relatively unscathed. She managed to sneak her way through the halls and slinked into the back of the school. There, she saw Gilda standing there, a cigarette in her mouth, with a trail of smoke billowing out from it. "How long have you been waiting?" Sunset asked. "Not long." Gilda shrugged. "Thorax will be here soon." "So how are we going to do this?" Sunset asked. "Bon Bon and Lyra have been helping Octavia with her practice recently. They will be in one of the unused classrooms in a couple of minutes." Gilda spit out her cigarette and stamped it into the ground. "They stick around after school for about an hour, so there is a large window of time." "Let's go over the plan again." Sunset said. "How are we going to discuss the situation like calm and reasonable people?" Gilda let out a groan. "Pinkie will go in and raise their mood up. I stand outside in case things go south. You then go in and explain the situation to them. Is that good?" Sunset nodded. "Remember. We are here to get information from here. We don't know if she's Anon-A-Miss or not. If she bolts, then we will know, got it?" Gilda nodded. "Got it." She turned and looked at the backdoors of the school. "When do we go in?" "Pinkie will call us when it's time." Sunset said. Gilda nodded in affirmation and leaned against the school wall. The two then stood in the cold awkwardly as the snow gently fell around them. Gilda let out an awkward cough and snuck glances at Sunset, only to look away when Sunset turned toward her. This went on for a couple of seconds before Gilda finally took in a deep breath and steadied herself. "So ...you free tomorr....(ow)?" Gilda began before Sunset's phone began to ring. Sunset took her phone out and saw that it was Pinkie's number. "Okay. And we're live." Sunset exhaled. "Let's do this." Gilda let out an exasperated sigh, but followed Sunset as they walked back into the school. The hallways were empty and silent, giving an eerie feeling. As they passed some of the doors, they saw that some of the classrooms were filled, mostly with club meetings and other extracurriculars that occurred on campus. As they walked down, it got more and more quiet, before becoming completely empty. Eventually, they reached the classroom, and Sunset could hear a conversation on the other side of the doorway. She gripped her wrist and took in a sharp inhale. There were two doors, Gilda was going to cover the second one while she went through the other. That way, they should have all their bases covered. 'You ready?' }}}Even if this girl tried to attack you, I doubt she'll do much damage.{{{ 'Good, because we're about to be live.' "Good luck." Gilda nodded as she leaned next to the doorway. Sunset nodded and quickly opened the classroom door and walked through as quickly as she could, and right into an argument; however, she was so focused on the plan she completely ignored that element. "Bon Bon! We need to talk!" Sunset announced as she walked up to the girl who had her hand up to Pinkie's chest. "You brought Sunset here!" Bon Bon nearly screeched. "Sunset isn't Anon-A-Miss!" Pinkie shouted back. "So get your head out of the party cannon and empty your ears of confetti!" Sunset pursed her lips as she saw the situation immediately escalating and breaking apart. However, she steeled her nerves and put her hands out. "Listen ...this is about ChangeData!" That caused Bon Bon to freeze. Slowly, she began to back away and began pushing Octavia, Lyra, and Vinyl behind her. "Go now." Bon Bon's voice shook. "Bon Bon, what is going on?!" Octavia asked. "Just do it!" Bon Bon pushed Octavia towards the other doorway. "Sweetie Drops, I am not here to hurt you!" Sunset exclaimed as she began to quicken her pace. That only caused Bon Bon to back up quicker before she opened the other classroom door on the other side of the room. Octavia and Lyra ran out with Vinyl, where Gilda was waiting. Uh oh. There was a loud thud outside the classroom, along with the shrieks of three very scared girls and the shouting of one very intimidating former bully. "I got her Sunset!" Gilda cried out from the other side before it was suddenly interrupted by a loud crash that could be attributed to a certain musician breaking a cello over another person's head. "Piss." Was all Sunset could say. She was so distracted she didn't notice the kick that was flying towards her face until it was five feet in front of her. Sunset quickly ducked down as her instincts fired up to maximum, barely ducking under Bon Bon's attempted assault upon her skull. She looked up and realized another attack was coming up her skull, but this one she could not duck. Pain erupted from her bottom jaw as she was kicked up into the air and into the blackboard. "Bon Bon stop-" Was all Pinkie get out before a loud crash echoed out. Sunset opened up her eyes to see that Bon Bon had thrown Pinkie into a pile of desks, rendering the other unconscious. That got her blood boiling, so she pushed up off the ground and rushed at Bon Bon. The girl seemed to have anticipated her attacks and blocked Sunset's strikes and kicks before delivering a counterpunch right into her gut. Bon Bon then grabbed her arm and twisted Sunset right over her shoulder and into the ground. The wind was knocked out of Sunset, but she quickly recovered as her neurons fired up. She looked up to see Bon Bon lifting a foot right over her face. "Dammit!" Sunset cursed as she threw her arms over her face. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as the Witchblade finally extended outwards, shredding her clothes before covering both her arms and shoulders with metal. Bon Bon's foot was stopped in its tracks as it slammed down on the metal. "What?" Bon Bon muttered. Sunset took this opportunity and grabbed the girl's leg. She pulled it out, causing Bon Bon to fall towards the ground. Sunset then jumped up and got into a ready stance as Bon Bon spun on her back and jumped up from the ground. Sunset started with a flurry of punches and striking toward the other girl's face and body, only for each one to be blocked. Bon Bon's arms flew across the air as she deflected and blocked each one of Sunset's strikes before gripping her arms and twisting them. Bon threw Sunset into the window, causing it to crack under the immense force. Both the girl's struggled with Sunset trying to escape Bon Bon's grap while the other tried to knock Sunset down. Sunset grit her teeth, realizing that she needed more strength. With a roar, she channeled more of the Witchblade's power and pushed the girl off, surprising them. Sunset felt the Witchblade extend down her back, now covering her entire torso. She couldn't let Bon Bon get the advantage, the girl was too dangerous, right now, Sunset needed to knock her out. Sunset jumped forward, tackling Bon Bon and knocking the girl into the ground. Sunset created metal gauntlets around her fists and began to pummel the other girl. "Go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep please." Sunset muttered repeatedly as she slammed her fists into Bon Bon's face. Each punch let out a loud crunch as she swung with all her strength into Bon Bon's face, causing blood to splatter all over the classroom floor. As Sunset tried to throw another flurry of punches, Bon Bon suddenly moved her head to the side, causing Sunset to miss. The girl let out a growl and grabbed Sunset by the shoulders before throwing her skull into Sunset's face. Sunset recoiled as she felt her nose break along with parts of her skull. Bon Bon took that opportunity to throw Sunset off her. With a loud roar, the girl grabbed Sunset and swung her by the arm right toward the window before letting go. Sunset only had a single second to process what was happening until she was already halfway out the window. The force caused the entire pane to collapse, causing glass to shatter everywhere. Sunset looked over at the classroom and saw Bon Bon jump out of the broken window pane. 'We need to take this fight somewhere else. With less collateral damage' }}}Agreed.{{{ Bon Bon let out a roar and charged at Sunset. Sunset responded by summoning a pair of wings before flying forward and slamming her arms into Bon Bon's waist. She flew up into the air and away from the school towards the industrial district, where she hoped she could peacefully pacify the girl. As she lifted Bon Bon off, the girl seemed to be determined to be as much of a nuisance as possible, slamming her elbows and fists into Sunset's skull. Sunset endured it until Bon Bon grabbed her metallic wings and ripped them off, which would've been fine if they weren't a couple hundred feet in the air. Sunset let out a panicked scream as she tried to resummon her wings, only for an extremely irate Bon Bon to kick her in the skull. The two fell down like rocks right through a warehouse ceiling before tumbling through the shelves before landing on the hard concrete floor. There was a second of silence as Sunset let out a groan. She tasted blood in her mouth and pain all over her body. She was quite certain she had broken nearly every bone in her body because it felt as if a sledgehammer had been slammed repeatedly into her. She laid there for a good two minutes as she felt the Witchblade regenerate whatever was broken. }}}Deescalate she said.{{{ 'Shush. Let me suffer in silence.' Sunset began to gingerly get up off the ground, peeling herself out of the Sunset shaped hole in the ground. She gripped her chest, which was still regenerating. She looked around her surroundings and saw that she was indeed in a warehouse. However, it was a warehouse holding ChangeData products, ranging from kitchen appliances to artificial kidneys. "This company is everywhere." Sunset groaned as she felt the Witchblade finally finish covering her entire body. A helmet began to form over her head as she limped through the entire building. "Why is it always a warehouse?" "Does Chrysalis really think I would be unprepared after all these years?" Bon Bon's voice suddenly echoed out. "Bon Bon, I don't work for Chrysalis!" Sunset snapped. "BULLSHIT! First Anon-A-Miss, and now this! I knew it all along, knew that you were her agent the moment you stepped into this school!" Sunset closed her eyes and let out a groan. }}}I am unsure if you will be able to take this girl down alive.{{{ 'I have to try! She is also a victim of this conspiracy! She's also our only lead!' "Bon Bon. Let us be calm and rational individuals." Sunset continued to try. "You can't trick me, Sunset, not again. Prepare to die." Sunset summoned a plume of flame in her hands using it to light her way through the dark warehouse. She looked around frantically as she heard footsteps echo out. She stood in between two columns of shelves while focusing on her senses. She could hear the soft tapping of footsteps around her. Sunset narrowed her eyes and channeled Piezzi's ability that she had used against Adagio. Her vision became sharper, and the darkness seemed to clear before her, making the place more visible. Thanks to this, Sunset turned off the plume of fire in her hand and looked around the darkness. She was able to distinguish objects in the darkness despite it being murky. She steadied her breathing and slowly made her way through the warehouse, constantly looking over her back. The plink of water droplets echoed throughout the empty warehouse as the footsteps tapping around her got quieter and quieter. A bead of sweat trickled down her face as she slowed her breathing and focused all of her energy into her senses. A small wind blew through the entire building, letting out a small whistle. Snow gently trickled down from the hole in the ceiling that they made as Sunset slowly paced her movements to the point it was barely audible even to herself. The air seemed to come to a standstill as Sunset suddenly came to a stop. She waited and listened to any form of movement around her. A small wind gust appeared and suddenly echoed out, aimed in her direction. Hearing this, Sunset quickly turned around to see a figure dashing towards her. As she flung her body downwards, the sound of the air being cut screamed out. Sunset twisted her body and punched upwards while keeping her head low and felt her strike connect against a body. She heard a loud crash as the figure was flung backward into one of the shelves, causing a loud echo to reverberate throughout the entire warehouse. Sunset put her arms up just in time as Bon Bon flew forward with a punch. The girl's ability to rebound was remarkable, and she moved at inhuman speeds. Even though Sunset was holding back, Bon Bon was still able to match her nearly blow for blow. Bon Bon quickly threw a series of rapid strikes, which Sunset managed to quickly deflect to the side. The other girl varied her attacks, throwing strikes at her head, body, and lower torso in rapid fashion, pushing Sunset back as she was forced to quickly reposition her arms to intercept each strike. After exchanging a series of blows, Bon Bon quickly swung her leg in arc right toward Sunset's skull. Sunset managed to catch the girl's leg, only for Bon Bon to push herself up and land a kick right into her head. Sunset recoiled back to see Bon Bon leap into the air. Sunset raised her arms up, shielding herself from the girl's kick down towards her face. She took this opportunity to quickly grab their leg and slamming them into the ground. Bon Bon let out a growl as she pulled herself away and jumped up from the ground. Bon Bon pulled out a pistol out of nowhere and aimed it at Sunset, which was trained right at her head. Sunset kicked the pistol to the side just as it went off. Bon Bon then responded by kicking Sunset's leg out from under her, causing her to fall to the floor. As Sunset tried to get up, she saw Bon Bon pick her pistol up from the ground. Sunset lunged forward and managed to get ahold of Bon Bon's arms just as the girl fired her pistol up into the air. Bon Bon kicked Sunset's legs out from underneath her as she slowly began to push her pistol towards Sunset's face. }}}Sunset! You have no choice! You need to end this fight now!{{{ 'No ....I can still reason with her ...' Sunset let out a roar as she finally pushed the gun to the side. She struck forward with a punch, shooting it upwards with as much power as she could, which knocked the other girl back. Sunset quickly grabbed the pistol off the floor and held it up, and aimed it directly at Bon Bon, only to see the girl take out another pistol. At that moment, though, Sunset hesitated, giving Bon Bon the opportunity to fire, hitting the gun out of Sunset's hand. Sunset held her hands up, hoping the Witchblade could stop bullets as Bon Bon prepared to pull the trigger. Right before, a loud crack echoed throughout the warehouse. The air seemed to freeze as Bon Bon's eyes became glassy before the girl fell to the ground like a sack of 13 potatoes. Behind where she used to stand was a familiar figure, one with purple hair running down her shoulder. She wore an aquamarine trenchcoat now, but now she had no mask. It was none other than Aria Blaze, the feared Nottingham. "Fancy seeing you here," Aria smirked. Sunset sighed. "I had it under control." }}}No you didn't.{{{ ' That bullet shot wouldn't have done any damage.' }}}And how can you be so certain?{{{ "What are you doing here?" Sunset asked, changing the subject. "I was following you. Making sure you were okay." Aria shrugged. "Somehow I doubt that. The feared Nottingham, caring about someone else?" "It's actually just Aria now." Aria sighed. "Can't go around announcing who I am, can I?" "Doesn't change that you are still the Nottingham." "How about we make a compromise, and you just call me Aria Nottingham, deal?" "Fine, whatever." Sunset rolled her eyes before looking down at her body. "You wouldn't happen to have any extra clothes, would you?" "I do, but ..." Aria lifted up a finger, bringing attention to the police sirens that were getting close. "I do believe we have bigger issues." "Piss. Grab Bon Bon, and let's go. I need to question her." Aria simply just shrugged. "Sure thing." The girl said before grabbing Bon Bon off the floor and slinging her over her shoulder. "By the way, why didn't you just hit her pressure point?" "Didn't have the time." "Oh, honey." Aria smiled. "Let me teach you." Sunset sighed and rolled her eyes as she began to run out of the warehouse. Though she didn't say yes, she didn't say no either, and that idea made Aria smile as she followed closely behind the girl. Witchblade Lightning Dust sipped a small cup of coffee with both her feet on the table in front of her. She hummed under her breath as she hummed a tune. The piece that was in her head was called 'The king's feast' which was about the last feast of a king before he was devoured by his starving populus. Before she could finish the tune, she heard the cafe door open, which caused her to smile. As she sat up in her seat, she saw Indigo Zap walk up and take a seat in front of her. "So, you got a job?" Indigo asked. "So to the point. What happened to 'how was your day'?" Indigo smirked. She brushed her dark purple dress and uniform and adjusted her arctic-coloured shirt collar. She leaned forward and asked. "How was your day? Did you have fun crushing bugs under your feet?" The girl asked as sarcastically as possible. Lighting snapped her fingers. "There, see. Now we're pals." She took another sip from her coffee. "Yeah, got us a job. From one of the wendigos." "Huh, thought they didn't trust us." "This one is in deep shit." Lightning smirked as she pulled out the dollar bills from her backpack. She tossed it to Indigo, who seemed impressed by the stack of money in front of her. "Needs four people zeroed. Pinkie, Sunset, Gilda, and Bon Bon. Already took out my share." "And she paid upfront?" "She was so desperate she didn't think twice when I asked for it." Lightning Dust snorted. "Hmmm. Killing Pinkie and Sunset will upset the other wendigos." "So we pin it on Ninkasi." "Does she have a time frame?" "Tonight. At the charity event." "She planning to feast there?" "Beats me." Indigo began to rub her chin. "I heard rumors that there was a mysterious benefactor that was going to make an appearance there." Dust shrugged. "Guess that's our gal." "We'll do the hit at the event." Indigo nodded. "Can you do it alone?" Dust raised an eyebrow. "Of course, but ....why? Didn't you like to get your hands dirty?" She asked. Indigo nodded. "I do. But I have to watch over a certain sex cult while also searching for two potential rogue wendigos." The girl scowled. "Ah, yes. Midas and Khan. Any luck?" "Found the remains of Khan's exploits." Indigo shook her head. "What was left of it, at least." "Midas?" "Found traces of arms dealing, trafficking, and extortion. Definitely him." "Well then." Dust blew a raspberry. "I'll do it myself. Need info, though. Need to know the location, vantage points, and participants." She said. "Sunny Flare will send the details to you right before the event." "Also ...why at the event?" Dust asked. "Just for clarification." "Don't want to upset the other wendigos." Indigo nodded. "We do the hit, and pin it on Ninkasi. Since we are already paid, we don't need to worry about money, just integrity." The girl rubbed her chin. "Lure the targets to the event. Zero them right before Ninkasi begins killing everyone, and then check out." "Easy peasy." Dust nodded. "Don't fuck this, Dust." "I would never." Dust smirked. "Count on me, boss." Indigo nodded. "Of course. Only the best can join the Shadowbolts. Be seeing ya." Indigo said before walking off out of the cafe. Dust smirked as she slowly sipped her coffee. "Buffet." She smirked. "It'll be a feast to remember." She affirmed before finishing up her coffee. Author's Note Hello there Hi. This chapter took a bit longer than I would have liked, but we are finally getting into the nitty gritty. I have a general outline for what I have planned for the story in my head, but many changes were made. I just wanted to detail one of the major changes here. Originally, Dust was actually supposed to confront Sunset, not Bon Bon. But I wanted to fit the theme of Gluttony, and Dust just didn't fit the bill. However, I remembered what I had written about Octavia, and how Anon-A-Miss exposed her for eating a bunch of ice cream so I worked it into the story. Bon Bon having worked for Chrysalis came to me when I remembered she used to be a secret agent who hunted bug bear who went by Sweetie Drops. So I weaseled that into the story. I am most happy about how I included Indigo Zap into the story. I really liked Michael Finnegan in the original witchblade, but I feel like he was shafted in the story. He keeps losing all his fights with the fire stone lmao. The artifacts was extremely disrespectful to him also in my opinion. But now I have included him, and much earlier than I had planned. I hope to utilize these character more in the future. I have special plans for them. (Case 2-2 Ninkasi): School Day (EDITED)A car going far past the speed limit screeched to a halt into the parking lot behind Canterlot High School. Within it sat a lime-skinned man and a light magenta woman. The woman let out a groan as she pushed the car door open and stretched her legs and arms out of the vehicle. The man shakily got out of the car with wobbly legs as he tried to get more than three steps away from the car without falling over like a pile of sticks. "Why am I always chosen for the crap jobs?" Silverstream grumbled as she got out before kicking the car door closed behind her. "Gilda is my friend," Thorax mumbled as he put his hands on his knees, catching his breath as he did so. "She wouldn't have called unless it was urgent. Apparently, they found someone related to ChangeData." "Everyone works for ChangeData these days." Silverstream groaned. "If we got our panties in a twist for anyone who seemed to breathe like a changeling, we'd lose all our hair by the time we turned twenty." "She wouldn't waste our time unless she was certain." Thorax turned towards Silverstream. "If this person is a ChangeData secret operative ...." "Then they won't talk." Silverstream groaned. "They never talk! They're part of the hivemind. At that point, we are better off just killing them." The girl continued to whinge. "I worked with ChangeData once. They are not without their flaws." Thorax turned towards Silverstream. "I know how to reason with them, and if we're lucky, they are like me." "Yeah ...you never told us how you broke out." Silverstream raised an eyebrow. "How do I know that you're not still connected to Chrysalis?" "Even she isn't as flawless as she makes herself to be. She makes mistakes, many of them. She's just good at hiding them." Thorax turned away and looked up at the ChangeData tower division in Canterlot City. "I just took the opportunity." When he turned towards Silverstream, he saw that she wasn't convinced. He let out a heavy sigh, at this point, used to the suspicion. He looked away, focused back on the school, and pointed at the back entrance. "Okay, come on. We don't want to keep them waiting." Thorax snapped as he began walking towards the school. "Please." Silverstream scoffed as she took out a cigarette, which she flicked into her mouth. In a split second, she lit the end of the cigarette and let out a puff while following behind Thorax. "What could possibly happen in the next ten seconds?" As if to answer her question, a loud eruption erupted out, echoing through the air. Thorax saw the school shake before a figure flew up into the air out away from the school, with a second person in their arms. Though he couldn't see their features, he recognized the metallic armor and the firey wings of the figure. It could be none other than the Witchblade. The witchblade's wings were then ripped off by the person they were carrying, causing the two of them to plummet down toward the ground. There was a loud crash that erupted out, followed by a couple of distant car alarms. "Think she's dead?" Silverstream muttered. "Gilda." Thorax whispered before he began to run towards the school. "Let me give you a boost!" Silverstream offered right before Thorax felt himself lifted up from the ground. He felt the air fly past him as Silverstream sped across the parking lot and through the school doors. The classrooms passed by like a blur before the girl stopped in her tracks, causing Thorax to lurch forward. The man tumbled onto the ground before letting out a groan. He could never get used to Silverstream's super speed, and it always made him sick. As he got up off the ground, he was certainly greeted by a sight. There was Gilda, holding off three other girls. One had a broken cello in her hands, one had her arms wrapped around Gilda's neck, and the other was pinned under her knee. "Man, now I wish I went to High school." Silverstream snorted. "Gilda! What is going on?!" Thorax sighed as he rubbed his eyes. Gilda finally managed to throw the girl who was gripping her neck off her and to the side. The girl under her knee managed to slip away and roll to the side. "Who are you people?!" One of the girls shrieked. "Usually, people say hello as a greeting," Silverstream grumbled. "Now, what happened? It looks like a tornado occurred in there." She pointed at the classroom, which had desks thrown everywhere and a broken window. "Sunset is fighting off Bon Bon!" Gilda said urgently as she held the part of her head that had wood splinters in it, which was also bleeding quite a bit of blood. "Who is Bon Bon?" Thorax asked. "I never heard of such an operative working for ChangeData." "Her real name is Sweetie Drops!" Gilda shouted. That caused Thorax to freeze, as an ice-cold feeling crept up his spine. Silverstream was rendered speechless for the first time since the two met, and she just stared at Gilda. The other three girls had their hands up, but each one had a look of confusion on their face. "What are you talking about? Her name is Bon Bon!" The aquamarine girl snapped. "Sweetie Drops is her real name!" Gilda explained frantically. "She is Anon-A-Miss!" "Liar! You can't cover for your friend!" The aquamarine girl shouted back. "Impossible." Thorax shook his head. "Sweetie Drops died when Chrysalis attacked S.M.I.L.E's home base." "I heard about it as well. She was good, but Chrysalis tricked them all." Silverstream nodded. "It's her! I know it!" "Where did you get this information?" "The Diamond Dogs. I don't know how they know, but they've always provided decent information." Gilda explained. "Thorax, look at the classroom. No normal girl can do this!" Gilda pointed at the classroom. Thorax looked into the classroom and accessed the wreckage. He opened the door, walked in, and saw what she was talking about. There were desks thrown everywhere, and it looked as if a fight had happened there. He looked down and saw a pink girl lying unconscious amongst the rubble, in between five broken desks she looked to have been thrown into. She was bleeding and bruised all over her body. "Who are you people?" One of the girls behind him asked. He looked over his shoulder to see the aquamarine girl staring at him while her arms were still raised up towards Gilda. "I'm friends with Gilda." He answered simply. "If this Bon Bon is truly Sweetie Drops ...." "We need to go before Sweetie Drops transforms the Witchblade into a corpse." Silverstream snapped. "She may be good, but even she can't compete with an artifact, especially one part of the trinity." Thorax reasoned. "We need to find them now before they do something they regret!" "What do we do with these three?" Gilda asked as she gestured towards the three other students in front of her. Before Thorax could answer, he heard a shrill voice call out from the other end of the hallway. He saw a dark blue-skinned woman running over towards them with firey eyes. "What on earth is going on here!" She shrieked. "That's our cue!" Silverstream snapped. Before Thorax could see anything or protest, he felt the girl lift him up before speeding away. The environment blurred past before he found himself back in the parking lot. Silverstream let go of him, causing him to stumble forward, but this time, along with Gilda. "Next time, give me a warning dweeb!" Gilda snapped. "I'm about speed, not comfort." Silverstream shot back as she quickly got into the driver's seat. "Now get in; we need to go before the cops come." Gilda let out a grumble but slid into the backseat. Thorax followed suit and closed the door before leaning into the driver's seat. "I saw her crash near the warehouse district." "She was off by a couple of miles. She looked to have crashed nearby." Silverstream said as she put on her seatbelt. "Ready yourselves because today, traffic safety becomes a suggestion." "It's always a suggestion to you-" Was all Thorax managed to get out before Silverstream lifted up the brakes and backed up out of the parking lot. She then quickly turned the car around in the middle of the street, getting many angry shouts from other drivers before speeding down the road. Thorax felt himself lurch back as the car sped down the road. As he looked out of the car window, he could hear sirens in the distance, and he could only hope that wherever the Witchblade and Sweetie Drops were, that they were both safe. Witchblade Sweetie Drops let out a groan as she slowly blinked. Her head was swirling, and she couldn't make out where she was or what the time was at the moment. As her vision began to clear, she saw a figure sitting in front of her, which was a woman clad in metallic armor, her firey pupils standing out from the black sclera around it. As Sweetie Drops tried to move her arms and legs, she found them strapped down on the limbs of a chair. This caused her to snap awake as she began to thrash around in a desperate attempt to free herself. "Don't try it." The woman in front of her said. "Aria made sure to keep you secured there as tightly as possible." Sweetie Drop's memory began to come back to her as she remembered the fight against Sunset. She remembered being confused at how Sunset had transformed and what magic the girl had. All she remembered was that Sunset Shimmer was a threat that needed to be eliminated as soon as humanly possible. "Sunset. You finally here to finish me off?" Drops snarled. "No. Just wanted to ask some questions." Sunset explained as she sat up from her seat. "Wanted to know what connections you have to Chrysalis." "I'm not telling you anything." Drops snapped back. "I told you she would speak." Another voice called out. Sweetie Drops looked around the room she was trapped in. It was dark, but from her enhanced eyesight, she was able to make out different objects. It looked to be a small hideout, with rigged computers along with makeshift furniture that looked to be crumbling apart. "Want me to roughen her up?" Sweetie Drops felt her chair shake as two hands slammed down on the headrest right next to her shoulder. "I can break her fingers." The voice offered from behind her. "Aria, we aren't torturing her. From what I know, she isn't working for Chrysalis, or she isn't anymore." Sunset explained. "She could be working for the Storm King then." Aria snapped back. "That's also a bad thing. Storm King is nearly as bad as her. The only difference is that Chrysalis creates forbidden artifacts, and that man steals them from her." "Then we'll deal with her if that's true." Sunset leaned forward, staring Sweetie Drops down. "Right now, though, we want to take down Anon-A-Miss and Sweetie Drops, here is our ticket to do that." "Fine." Aria rolled her eyes as she walked around Sweetie Drops. "You're lucky Sunset is too soft for her own good kid." "You're lucky my implants were deactivated." Sweetie Drops countered. "I'm so scared." Aria rolled her eyes. "I outlive you by a good four hundred years, you're basically a baby to me." "Listen, Sweetie Drops, we aren't working for Chrysalis, or are Anon-A-Miss. We are looking for the girl who is Anon-A-Miss, and right now, you're our ticket to finding out who she is." Sunset sighed as she knelt down in front of Sweetie Drops. "Do you want Lyra to suffer?" "You leave Lyra out of this!" Sweetie Drops roared, trying to jump forward, only held down by her restraints. "I don't want Lyra or Octavia to suffer, and neither does Gilda." Sunset nodded. "But I am going to need some information if I am going to help them." "And why do you think I will trust you?" Sweetie Drops sneered. "Because you will put your grudge away." Aria snapped, getting Sunset's and Drops attention. The woman walked up to the two of them and stared down Sweetie Drops. "Because you will clear your mind and do what needs to be done to achieve your goal. In our line of work, emotion is a hindrance and hurts more than it saves." "How would you know?" Drops sneered. "Before I was an assassin, I was a knight and soldier. I fought in wars, girl, and saw my fair share of deaths." Aria nodded. "There are times when you must put old grudges away and fight because you care about those behind you, not because you hate those in front of you." "You don't know anything about me." Drops scoffed. "Maybe not. But I know about death and violence." Aria narrowed her eyes and glared at Drops. "And I have a feeling you are not a stranger to those concepts as well." Sweetie Drops became silent and looked away from them. Sunset let out a sigh and turned towards Aria, who had her hands on her hips. "We aren't getting anywhere with this." Sunset huffed. "We need a new angle." "What we need is to encourage her a bit more." "No torture." Sunset snapped. "Hold on, let me call Gilda." "What is she going to do? Grump Sweetie Drops to death?" "No, and I also want to check if Thorax ever appeared," Sunset explained before she walked off. She headed out the door and into the derelict hall, out of earshot. She didn't want Sweetie Drops overhearing her conversation, in case she did still work for Chrysalis or the Storm King. 'Ok witchblade. Need phone now' }}}It is in the pocket on your hip.{{{ Sunset reached around her hip and found her way into a small pocket she didn't know existed. It was small enough that it was nearly unrecognizable, and only parted ways when her hands went near it. She reached in and procured out her phone and wallet, which she also thought she had lost in the warehouse fire. "Here goes hoping that Gilda found Thorax." Sunset muttered as she dialed Gilda's phone number. It rang a couple of times before the other end finally picked up. Sunset was greeted by frantic shrieking that resembled a harpy trying out theatre before she finally managed out some coherent words from Gilda. "Where are you?! What happened?!" " A friend and I convinced Sweetie Drops to calm down." Sunset answered. "Forcibly against her will. She's ....not an immediate threat to anyone in her immediate vicinity at the moment. So we have that going for me." There was a loud sigh from Gilda's end. "Oh, thank heavens. Listen, Thorax and Silverstream are with me right now. Where is your location?" "An abandoned building a couple of buildings down the block from the storage facility we crashed into. It's in...." "It's in the abandoned manufacturing plants right across the warehouses, right?" "Wh ...yeah. It is." Sunset raised an eyebrow. "How do you know?" "Because Thorax is telling us that you guys are in there and is currently in an argument with Silverstream about his tracking abilities." Gilda sighed through the phone. Her voice became a distant shout from her end of the phone. "Hey, you two! This is the right building, so shut up!" "Fantastic." Sunset groaned. "Okay, they're quiet now." Gilda returned back to the phone. "By the way, how did you find your phone?" "Turns out the Witchblade had it." "Really? For a second there, I thought that it was your ghost that was calling me." Gilda snorted. "Hardy har. Get up here." Sunset rolled her eyes. "Oh, by the way, I have a friend here." "Huh? Who is it?" "Just ...don't freak out when you arrive. Please?" Sunset sighed. "Depends ....who is it?" Gilda asked again. Sunset groaned. "It's Aria ...Nottingham. The masked woman that kidnapped you in the warehouse." "What the FU-" Was all Gilda managed to get out before Sunset hung up before shoving her phone back into Withblade's magical pocket. Sunset walked back through the door to witness the sight of Aria with a battery at her feet and two wires in her hands, which were dangerously close to Sweetie Drops. "Aria, what the hell?" Sunset snapped. "What? Just about to convince her to be more cooperative." Aria snorted. "I just said no torture!" "It's not torture." "Then what is that?!" Sunset pointed accusatorily at the battery in front of Aria's feet. "A little shock never hurt anyone." "Yes, it does! Now put it away!" Sunset snapped. "You're making this unnecessarily difficult." Aria rolled her eyes as she kicked the battery to the side. "Candy hair here doesn't want to speak, even though we have mutual enemies!" "Why do you hate Chrysalis?" Sunset raised an eyebrow. Aria shrugged. "She's a prick. She's also a friend of my sister, so I hate her by default." "That's a lame reason." "I'll think of a better one later." "Whatever." Sunset sighed. "Gilda and Thorax are coming over. Hopefully, they can knock some sense into Sweetie Drops." "Thorax! I knew that you were working for Chrysalis!" Sweetie Drops snapped. "Fantastic, now she's all riled up again," Sunset grumbled. "You invited that wimp here?" Aria snapped. "What is he going to do? Whinge Drops to death?" "What are you going to do? Torture her to death?!" Sunset finally snapped. Aria pursed her lips and bobbed her head. "That was the plan." "This was an awful idea." Sunset sighed. "What was?" "Working with you!" Sunset finally snapped. "Can you think of anything that doesn't involve pain or torture for five seconds?!" "You are too naive still!" Aria snapped. "Do you still believe everything can be resolved without bloodshed or death? Sometimes, you need to do what is necessary!" "I am willing to do what is necessary!" Sunset exclaimed. "But there are lines we do not cross, lines we never cross!" "And what is that? I saw you fighting against those changelings on that night in front of Pinkie's home!" Aria snapped. "You held back against my changeling soldiers, giving them some broken bones and third-degree burns, but still alive!" "I don't kill if I don't have to!" "Then what happens when you do!?" Aria finally roared. Sunset pursed her lips and became silent as Aria's words weighed on her. She averted her eyes and simply muttered, "I will do what I have to." "I hope you do." Aria snapped. "When it comes down to it, I hope you have the guts to do what is necessary." Sunset nodded and turned back towards Sweetie Drops. "I hope that one day, both of us can look back at this and have a good laugh about it over a beer." She sighed. "I doubt it." Sweetie Drops sneered. "I am not your enemy." Sunset closed her eyes. "I made mistakes, I will admit that. My hatred for my former mentor and my hunger to be someone better than her overtook any rational thinking I had, and I took it out on you and your friends." Sweetie Drops simply sneered and turned away, replying to Sunset with only silence. "I know this never really helps, but for what it's worth. I'm sorry." Sunset finally sighed. "Apologies don't do anything." Sweetie Drops scowled. Sunset knew she couldn't do anything at that point and was glad when the door to the room was finally kicked open. Gilda, Thorax, and Silverstream all walked in. The air became tense as Thorax met eye contact with Sweetie Drops and Gilda locked on Aria Nottingham. Silverstream stood at the entrance with her arms crossed, with a disinterested look while observing the hostilities as if it was a television show. "What is she doing here?" Gilda scowled. "I'm surprised you even recognize me despite me wearing my mask." "I would recognize you anywhere, now why are you here?" "If I remember correctly, I helped you beat up Adiago." Aria snorted. "Or is your memory that short?" "All I remember is you trying to kill me over some stupid gauntlet." "Well, that same gauntlet saved your life, ask Sunset here." Aria pointed over at Sunset, who could only sigh. "Wait, that gauntlet was the Witchblade?" Gilda pointed over at Sunset's wrist. "Why is it so small then?" "The gauntlet is one of its forms." Sunset shrugged. "That's all I know. It can transform into a bracelet for convenience." }}}Correct. My true form would turn you into dust.{{{ 'What does your true form even look like?' }}}It is incomprehensible to the mortal mind.{{{ 'I am imagining a woman with metal skin and very little clothing.' }}}May I suggest you obtain a more vibrant imagination?{{{ "Gilda. I understand that you have strong feelings against Aria here ..." "Strong feelings?! That woman tried to kill me and worked with the fucking demons!" Gilda shrieked. "Correction, my sister worked with the demons. I was just her messenger." Aria corrected. "That's not much better." Gilda snarled. "Well, we have no choice!" Sunset snapped. "We are up against Celestia knows how many demons, all of them with very nasty-sounding names. I'm not sure about you, but I think we need all the help we can get." Gilda scowled but finally relented. "Fine. But if Aria starts pulling some underhanded moves, I'm ripping off her head." "If we are done fighting, can we turn our attention to Sweetie Drops over here?" Silverstream finally jumped in. The girl gestured over towards the entrapped girl who was observing the arguing with amusement. "Can't believe it's actually her. Don't know how she is here since I saw the smoldering, dead body." "And who are you?" Sweetie Drops snapped. "Silverstream. The extremely pretty speedster of Cyberforce." Silverstream smirked. "Those washouts?" That comment caused Silverstream's expression to immediately darken. "This washout can take out multiple squadrons of changelings." She sneered. "Silverstream enough." Thorax raised his hand up before kneeling in front of Sweetie Drops. "I can't believe it. You're alive." "I can't believe Chrysalis would send you of all people here." Sweetie Drops snapped. "I no longer work for Chrysalis." Thorax explained. "Many things have changed since then." "Why do you think I will believe you?" Sweetie Drops asked. Thorax let out a small sigh as he grabbed a stool and sat down in front of the girl. "Remember when you needed help to catch the rampaging bugbear in South America?" The man asked. Sweetie Drops scowled. "Don't change the subject." "I'm not." Thorax shrugged. "We worked together. We both had each other's back." Sweetie Drops looked away to the side, away from Thorax. She pursed her lips and stayed silent, allowing Thorax to continue on. "When you were looking away, a changeling snuck up behind you, ready to strike. Remember that?" Thorax asked. "I do." Sweetie Drops mumbled. "I helped save you from that." Thorax nodded. "Killed my own brethren to save your life. You did the same to save mine in the Amazon Forest. Do you remember that as well?" "I do." Sweetie Drops sighed. "That and many others. At some point, I would have even called ourselves friends." "Then why did you betray us?" Drops scowled. "I didn't. Chrysalis did. She gave the order. I wasn't even there." Thorax explained. "You still worked for them." "Not anymore. Not after I saw what Chrysalis was willing to do to secure her goal." Thorax sighed. "I was blinded by loyalty, not realizing the true intentions of my mother. When I realized ....you don't understand how much I regretted not being there for you." "What changed your mind?" Drops mumbled. "She has teamed up with the Wendigos. One of the most deadly demons of hell. No sane person would ever team up with a duke of the seven levels." Thorax let out a small sigh. "You can hate me. I won't blame you. I won't ask for forgiveness. But don't let the world burn because of your grudges." Sweetie Drops finally looked up at Thorax, who had a grim expression on his face. She then turned to Sunset and Gilda, who both had their focus on her. The girl's expression began to soften, but her lips and face were still stern and stiff. Aria let out a loud, impatient groan, before shoving Sunset and Gilda to the side. She pushed Thorax off the stool and took his place in front of Sweetie Drops. Sunset threw her arms up at Aria's sudden actions while the girl scooted up right in front of Drop's face. "You want to hold a grudge, fine? But let me tell you, girl. There are currently seven nasty demons roaming around Canterlot, and we would like to stop them." Aria Nottingham scowled. "I know you hate Thorax, hell you probably hate me as well, but even you can't avoid the truth forever." "And what truth is that Nottingham?" Drops scoffed. "That the longer you hold out the information on us, the higher chance your loved ones will get hurt." Aria scoffed. "Now, I don't know where the wendigos are, but I know their nature. They haven't been eating as much, and that spells bad news for everyone in this entire bloody city." Aria stood up from the bench and opened up her arms before looking over both her shoulders at Sunset and Thorax. "Now you can sit here sulking while the Wendigos turn the entire city into an all-you-can-eat buffet, or you can get over yourself and help us." Aria bent over and glared at Sweetie Drops. "What will it be, girl?" Sweetie Drop's gaze darkened before she finally let out a heavy sigh. "I don't have much of a choice, do I?" She finally relented. "You always have a choice." Aria scoffed. "However, it depends on how much you care about your friend's life." Sweetie Drops scowled, but Sunset could see that the girl's expression was finally softening. Sunset walked up to the girl and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Please Bon Bon. Please help. Take a chance, and help us save others." She begged. "Fine." Sweetie Drops closed her eyes. "I will help you." Aria clapped her hands and turned towards Sunset and Gilda. "That's how you do it. You gotta show force lass." Aria smirked as she gave Sunset a friendly punch in the shoulder. "Get your hands off her." Gilda scowled as she grabbed Aria's arm. "Possessive, aren't we?" "I don't trust you." Gilda snapped. "How do we know you won't turn on us at the last second?" Aria tore her arm out of Gilda's grip. "If you have an issue with me, take it up with Sunset. I've done my job. I'm going to get a drink now." Aria scowled before flipping Gilda off. The girl walked out of the room, leaving them with Sweetie Drops, who was still tied to the chair. "If you try anything, I won't hesitate to kill all of you." Sweetie Drops scowled as Sunset walked around her to cut the girl's binds. "I don't doubt it." Sunset smirked as she let Sweetie Drops free. The girl rubbed her wrists before standing up from her chair. "Can you all answer me one question, though?" Sweetie Drops asked as she stood up. "What is it?" Thorax asked. "Why?" "Why what?" "Why did you fight so hard for your cause, despite knowing it hurt other people?" Sweetie Drops glared at Thorax before turning her ire towards Sunset. "Why? Do you know how much damage you all caused?" "I did it because I believed in Chrysalis vision." Thorax sighed. "The same way you believed in the vision of SMILE." "I was doing it because of a grudge." Sunset answered. "I wanted to prove something." Sweetie Drops turned towards Gilda. "And you?" Gilda scowled. "You wouldn't understand." The girl grumbled before turning away. Sweetie Drops turned towards Thorax and Silverstream. "Can you give me a minute with Sunset and Gilda here?" She asked the two. "As much as you need agent Drops." Thorax nodded as he began to leave the room. "It's just Drops now." Sweetie Drops mumbled as Thorax and Silverstream left the room, leaving Sunset and Gilda alone with her. After the other two left, the girl turned her attention to Sunset and asked one simple question. "Now tell me the truth. Why are you doing this? Why are you involved in this entire mess?" "I wanted to save people." Sunset answered. "Bullshit. Tell me the truth. Thorax, I understand, and I can see that he is telling the truth. But why are you actually working to stop the Wendigos?" Sweetie Drops asked. "He is a man trying to run from guilt, but you? I can tell there is something else eating at you." "And how would you know?" Gilda scoffed. "I was trained to read people." Sweetie Drops mumbled. "Not perfectly, but good enough," "It's none of your business." Gilda snapped before turning towards Sunset. "Sunset. Are you sure we can't find any other leads? I would rather not work with the woman who tried to kill me and a girl who is paranoid to high heaven." "I am sure." Sunset nodded. "We need Bon Bon and whatever she knows." Sunset let out a small sigh and looked down at the gems on her right hand. She lifted it up in front of Sweetie Drops and pointed at it. "Do you know what this is?" "The Witchblade, yeah, I heard." Sweetie Drops nodded. "I thought that it was just a myth." "Well, it's not." Sunset said. "In my time of need, it saved my life, and ever since, I have been wielding it to save and help others." Sunset rubbed her wrist before continuing her story. "I was pursuing a lead to find who Anon-A-Miss was when I got over my head and ...." Sunset pursed her lips and glared at Aria, who walked back into the room with a bottle in her hand. "I got myself into a bit of trouble." Sunset turned towards Sweetie Drops. "I know you hate me. You have every right to. But if it means saving others, I am willing to trade my life in exchange. That is my true motive, you can believe it or not, doesn't change it being true." Sweetie Drops closed her eyes and let out a small scoff. "Yeah." She muttered before turning towards the door and walking away. "Where are you going?" Gilda asked. "To get a drink!" Sweetie Drops snapped. "I need to think. Think some things over." She muttered before walking out of the dusty old room and out into the hallway. Gilda began to follow her, but Sunset grabbed the girl by the arm and simply shook her head. Gilda stomped her foot but stood by and watched as Sweetie Drops disappeared into the darkness. "What the hell? Why did we just let her go?" Gilda snapped. "To let her think." Sunset sighed. "If we are going to get her cooperation, we need her willing to do so. Let her mull over her issues over, and then we can get back to her." "Well, let's hope she gets over her issues soon." Aria snorted as she took a swig from her bottle. "However, some people can't get over grudges. So we'll need a plan B." "What would that be?" Gilda scoffed. "Kill everyone in the city and hope one of them is a Wendigo?" "Hardy har. That is a valid strategy though." Aria snorted. "But I am actually talking about how we have a former ChangeData drone. I'm sure he would have some information." "You would be correct, unfortunately, I know very little." Thorax suddenly spoke up as he and Silverstream reentered the room. "I saw Sweetie Drops leaving. I assume you got through to her?" Sunset let out a small scoff. "I wish. However, she is thinking things through and didn't attack us immediately. So that's a start." "Well, let's hope it's something." Silverstream nodded. "I need to report all of this back to my boss. Gotta go update him that a SMILE agent is still alive." "You do that. Also, reassure him that everything is under control." Thorax nodded. "That's for him to decide." Silverstream turned towards Sunset, and tipped her head before dashing away, causing wind to pick up from where she was a split second before. "What a colorful girl." Thorax snorted before turning back towards Sunset. "I will tell you what I know, but you may not like it." "Information is power. We need it if we are going to stop Anon-A-Miss." "And the Wendigos." Aria reminded. "Why them of all demons?" Sunset asked. "The Wendigos that I know of feed on fear, but I haven't really felt the presence of such magic." "These Wendigos are different than the ones you are familiar with then," Thorax muttered. "They are a group of murderers, monsters, and the most powerful dukes of hell, and are the right hands of each prince." "Based on the seven deadly sins. Sunset and Gilda here are very well acquainted with Gluttony." Aria scoffed as she pointed towards the two. "Since the dawn of man, they have existed and will continue to exist long after they are gone. I've fought them before, and trust me....they don't fight fair." "Gluttony? You mean Ninkasi?" Sunset asked. "They were the ones in the warehouse that night. Gilda had a better view of them, but all you need to know is that they are bad news." Gilda let out a small scoff but gave a reluctant nod. "Yeah. I had a much closer look that I would have preferred." She grumbled. "Ninkasi didn't seem that tough." Sunset scoffed. "That's because you caught her off guard. If she was in her true form, you would be dust right now." Aria muttered. "Next time you meet her, she will be ready." "So will I." Sunset remarked. "I hope so, because last time I checked, they had planned to make a move soon." Thorax cleared his throat. "Over the next few weeks, your life will constantly be at risk, and so will your friends." "It's nothing we can't handle." Gilda scoffed as she walked beside Sunset. "We can handle them." "I appreciate the confidence." Thorax nodded. He turned toward Aria and nodded at her before turning back to them. "I need to go check on my brother. If you need me, you know where to find me." Thorax said before walking away, leaving Gilda, Sunset, and Aria alone. "What do we do now?" Gilda asked. "I say we follow Sweetie Drops. Make sure she doesn't bail on us." Aria scowled. "You can do that. But right now, I need to go get a pair of fresh clothes and check on Pinkie Pie. She got knocked out during my fight with Bon Bon." Sunset muttered. "Ah, I kinda forgot about that." Gilda snorted. "I just hope that Bon Bon will come to her senses soon." Sunset couldn't help but agree as she looked down at the Witchblade. She wasn't sure what was going to come in the next few weeks, but she was sure that they were going to need all the help they could get. She only hoped that her past sins wouldn't come back to haunt her, not yet, at least. Witchblade Octavia, Vinyl, and Lyra all sat in the office of Principal Celestia as they listened to the woman argue with her sister. The two had been going at it for a while, especially thanks to the fact that Pinkie was found unconscious in a pile of broken desks that she was slammed into. The fact that Vice-Principal Luna kept on mentioning the super speedster that took Gilda and ran off with another mysterious man wasn't helping either. "We can't get the cops involved!" Luna shrieked. "Especially with the anti-bullying fundraiser that's going to happen tonight in the gym!" "We were just attacked! To hell with the fundraiser! Our students are in danger!" Celestia snapped back. "It wasn't an attack! Just students fighting!" "Pinkie was slammed through a desk, and there was a broken window where someone was supposedly thrown through!" Celestia shrieked. "Not to mention, Sunset and Gilda are missing! Again, and this time with someone else!" "They're probably just being delinquents!" "You said Gilda was taken by a speedster!" "Well, maybe she knew someone." Luna scoffed. "I don't know what you saw, but all I know is that Gilda was taken and that Sunset along with Bon Bon, went missing. Of course, I have every right to be alarmed!" Octavia hung her head low before turning towards Vinyl, who had a stunned expression on her face. The entire day had been strange with an increasingly escalating situation. First, Pinkie Pie had intruded into their practice session for tonight's performance at the gym, and then Sunset suddenly appeared after Pinkie Pie had phoned in a friend. Bon Bon pushed them out of the door in response, which caused them to get tackled by Gilda, who was waiting by the door. As they wrestled with Gilda, a loud crash echoed throughout the building before strangers appeared before them. What happened next was a blur for her since she began to check out after Gilda left with the strangers in a blur. "Listen. The cops will be here any minute. I need to go check on Pinkie and inform her parents of the situation." Celestia sighed. "Her parents are bringing in the confectioneries for the fundraiser tonight, and the CEO of ChangeData just told me that she was coming this morning." "What, why?!" "Because she wants to speak out about Anon-A-Miss and the consequences of cyberbullying since her company makes electronics and software that social media applications use." Celestia explained. "At least that's what she told me. I think it's just a public relations stunt." "Than we definitely can't get the cops involved! Do you want to make a bad impression on the CEO of one of the biggest corporations in the country?!" "To hell with Chrysalis, I care about my students Luna. Now, watch over these three. I need to make another call and check up on Pinkie at the same time!" Celestia said before hurrying out of her office and into the hallway. Luna let out a sigh before turning towards the three students who were currently in front of her. She gestured towards the doorway and gave all three of them a death stare that caused chills to crawl up their spine. "You want to run by me what happened again?" Octavia gulped and nodded sheepishly. "Y-yes. I was practicing with the encouragement of Bon Bon and Lyra ..." "More like we were telling you to eat." Lyra groaned. "I don't care what your mother told you, you need to eat!" "She said it was for my own ...." "To hell with what she said! You're starving, you're basically a skeleton!" The girl exclaimed. "She's abusing you, can't you see?!" "Wait, hold on. What is this about Octavia's mother?" Luna asked. "She's making her hold off on eating for the stupid fundraiser we are having tonight." Lyra scowled. "It's not good for her. But her mother insists on her keeping her form." "She must have a reason." Octavia muttered. "Octavia, I don't care what reason your mother may have. There is no excuse for starving your own child." Luna sighed. "I suggest you take your friend's advice." "I told you." Vinyl finally spoke out, surprising Luna. "What your mother is doing to you isn't right. You need to stand up for yourself." "She must have a reason." Octavia muttered under her breath. "I'll talk with your mother when we meet during the fundraiser." Luna sighed. "You said that you were one of the performers?" Octavia nodded in confirmation, her eyes still glued to the floor. She desperately tried to keep her mind off her empty stomach, which protested every second, begging for food to enter it. She tried to focus her mind on her musical performance that night instead, which helped a small bit, but her stomach was louder than her mind. "Back to the topic. What happened? Where are Sunset and BonBon? The two are currently missing, and I would like to not have to explain to the board how we lost two, no, three students to magical speedsters." Luna snapped. "We told you what happened. Two strangers arrived and ..." "And took Gilda." Luna sighed. "Ok, can you at least tell me what these two strangers looked like?" Lyra began to describe the man and woman who appeared before them in a blur. She described their strange apparel along with their skin color, face, and mannerisms. The man seemed to know who Gilda and Bon Bon was. Looking back, the man also had called Bon Bon a different name that Lyra wasn't familiar with. "He called Bon Bon ....Sweetie Drops." Lyra explained. "Sweetie Drops." Luna muttered. "I'll have to look into this later." "Excuse me, but if it's no issue, can we go?" Octavia muttered. "I have a performance tonight, and I need to get ready for it." The girl requested. "You can go when the cops get here." Luna grumbled, "Unfortunately, with the recent mystery murders, the entire city has been on high alert." The vice-principal explained. "When the cops arrive and assess the situation, they'll let you know if you can go." Octavia nodded and let out a small whimper as she looked out the door. She tapped her foot agitately as she looked down at the clock. She only hoped the day would pass quicker. She just wanted to get the performance over with and leave before pretending all the events were a bad memory. Witchblade Pinkie Pie let out a groan as she sat up in a bed that she definitely knew wasn't hers. As she took a quick glance around, she recognized that she was currently in the infirmary. Nurse Redheart was sitting next to her bed with a laptop, typing out what looked to be a report. Principal Celestia was standing at the end of her bed and was on the phone, and looked to be in a heated debate with the other end. "She is fine Mrs. Cake. No need to worry about her, we have it all under control." Celestia nodded. "Yes. Yes, the event is still happening." Celestia then shook her head. "No ...well, we aren't sure if it was an attack or just regular school violence." Pinkie then saw Celestia let out an exaggerated sigh. "Yes, I am well aware they are both bad." Celestia then rolled her eyes. "I understand, Mrs. Cake. I will take proper precautions. Pinkie won't get hurt ....more." Celestia then nodded her head. "Yes, you can tell her friends that she's okay. Thank you. Bye." Celestia finally hung up the phone and let out a frustrated groan as she put it away. "Where is Sunset?" Pinkie asked, getting Celestia's attention. "Sunset is currently missing." Celestia sighed. "I am working on locating her right now." "I need to go find her now!" Pinkie sat up and flinched as she felt a sharp pain in her back. Nurse Redheart held her down, preventing the girl from jumping out and about. "Calm down. I'll release you after you answer some questions for me." Redheart spoke softly. The pale white woman patted down her white nurse's outfit and adjusted her light pink hair. She looked down at Pinkie before slowly applying pressure onto the girl's arm and back. "Do you feel any pain?" "Nope." Pinkie answered cheerfully. Redheart then reached around Pinkie and applied some pressure on Pinkie's shoulder and back. Pinkie felt a sharp sting as the woman pressed against those areas. "Any pain here?" "Whoops. Just a little." Pinkie smiled. "Nothing too biggie, though." "Hmmm, describe the pain." Redheart requested. "Just a little sting." Pinkie insisted. "It's nothing too bad. Promise." Redheart let out a sigh before turning to Celestia. "She seems fine enough to me. We can't keep her in here forever since this is still a high school." Celestia nodded somberly as Pinkie slowly got out of the infirmary bed and shakily got up on her feet. "See. All better." Pinkie beamed as she finally managed to balance herself out. "You're doing pretty well for someone who was thrown through a desk." Redheart observed. "What can I say? I am extremely durable." Pinkie smiled. "I do still suggest you check into a hospital as soon as possible." Redheart sighed. "Just to get a quick check-up. Make sure you didn't break anything important." "Also, I do suggest you stop by the SugarCube cafe. Mrs. Cake is worried about you, along with your friends." Pinkie let out a gasp. "The fundraiser today! I nearly forgot!" She began to make a mad dash towards the door but quickly turned back towards Celestia. "I'll get checked up as soon as I can." Pinkie beamed. "But right now, I need to go help organize the event." She quickly ran over to the door. "I'll see you tonight, Principal!" Pinkie swung the infirmary door open, only to be greeted by a tall police officer. His bronze skin and light blue hair stood out from his gold-lined blue uniform. The man loomed over the girl before looking up at Celestia, who approached him with caution. "Captain Spearhead. Didn't know you'd be here." Celestia remarked. "Shining Armor cares deeply about this town. When he heard of another attack, he made sure to send someone he could trust." Spearhead nodded as he pushed by Pinkie Pie. "I wish we could have met over a more cheerful situation, but I am afraid the situation has become more grim." "What are you talking about?" Celestia asked. "I need to talk with you privately," Spearhead answered. He towered over Pinkie Pie, forcing him to look down at her due to their height difference. "Go. The adults need to speak." Pinkie Pie nodded nervously before running down the hallway, away from the nurse's office. Spearhead nodded glumly as he closed the door behind him and the other officers. He turned towards Nurse Redheart and Celestia before letting out a sigh. "We're taking over the operations regarding the fundraiser tonight." Spearhead said. "You are to hand over any plans, operations, and the guest list to us." "What? Why?" Celestia asked. "That's classified and none of your concern." "This is still my school." "It is a public school and part of government property. Besides, when there is good evidence something that threatens the safety of the city is in a present area, we can enact emergency measures." "This seems excessive." Redheart remarked. "All of this for a single scuffle between students?" "There are details that you are not aware of." Spearhead explained. "Information that has all of us under alert." Spearhead explained. "This can't be legal!" Celestia snapped. "You can't just come in here and just take over everything." "Mayor Mare has signed off on it." Spearhead shrugged. "The attack that just occurred simply pushed our timetable up." The man explained. "Unfortunately, it is what must be done." "Maria?" Celestia muttered, "Yes. So, if you have a problem, you take it up with her." Spearhead nodded. "Now, will you be cooperative, or will I have to restrain you?" The man threatened. Celestia clenched her teeth but nodded reluctantly. "I'll give you what you need, officer." She scowled. "Good." Spearhead nodded before turning towards the other two officers behind him. "Come on, let's move! We don't have much time left." The man snapped, causing the other two officers to rush out of the room. "Redheart?" Celestia muttered. "Yes?" "Can you inform Luna of the new changes?" "Of course, but why can't you do it?" "I need to make a quick phone call." Celestia stormed out of the infirmary and out into the hallway. She took out her phone call and dialed a familiar number in her contacts as she stormed back to her office. The call was quickly answered by a familiar voice on the other end. "Celly. What a surprise. How can I help you today?" "We need to talk." Celestia snapped. "I'm all ears." Maria Mare snickered from the other side as Celestia stormed down the hall. Witchblade Sunset sat in her apartment and stared at her evidence board. She placed Bon Bon's photo amongst the people possibly involved in the whole Anon-A-Miss mess. She analyzed the board and thought to herself about who Anon-A-Miss could possibly be. The information regarding the Wendigos occupied her mind, however, and she was unable to focus away from them. For the longest time, she assumed them to just be minor demons, not the very lords of hell themselves. 'What do you make of all of this?' Sunset asked the Witchblade silently. }}}Very rarely do the lords of hell themselves make their presence all in one area. They are as unpredictable as they are dangerous.{{{ 'Why didn't you tell me sooner?' }}}I didn't see it as a priority at the time. Adagio Irons was a bigger threat. There is still the matter of Chrysalis as well. I would consider them the bigger threat.{{{ 'Chrysalis seemed fine at the party, and she didn't rush to help Adagio.' }}}Unsurprising. They always had a rivalry with each other. There is nothing more Chrysalis wants more than to bend the entire world to her vision of a Utopia. Adagio never had such lofty ambitions and was content with what she had.{{{ 'I'm guessing other Witchblade users had encountered them before.' }}}Correct. This is why I advise caution. My previous wielders are all gone, while Chrysalis and Adagio Irons are still here.{{{ 'Lovely. Adagio Irons is in prison, though. She shouldn't be a threat.' }}}She can escape anytime she wants. Why she isn't is beyond me. Besides, we still have to deal with her sisters.{{{ 'Aria is on our side.' }}}For now. Also, we don't know the location of her second sister, Sonata. {{{ 'Damn. She nearly matches her mirror counterpart.' Sunset clenched her fist in frustration as she continued to analyze the board. 'Do you know what happened to her?' }}}She also tried to wield me per Adagio's orders. It didn't end well, and a piece of me ended up breaking off and merged into her body. Before I went into hibernation, the last time I saw her, she was on a rampage.{{{ Sunset let out an exasperated sigh before she finally turned away from her evidence board and sat down in front of her laptop. As she did, Gilda walked out of the bathroom while wiping her hands on her pants. "So, what did you find out?" Gilda asked. "Nothing much. I won't know anything until I talk with Bon Bon and Aria tomorrow." Sunset sighed. "Aria promised that she'd be there when I needed her, but honestly, that doesn't inspire much confidence." "Sunset." Gilda sighed as she walked over and leaned against Sunset's desk. "Are you sure we can trust Aria? The woman almost killed us both." Sunset let out a small sigh. "If Aria was a threat, the Witchblade would have put me in guard mode." }}}Aria Nottingham is still a threat. However, she is also an invaluable ally. If she dares to raise her hand against us, I will not hesitate to protect you. {{{ "Well, it seems that the Witchblade agrees with you." Sunset snorted as she lifted her bracelet up in front of her. "But we are short of allies, and we can use all the help we can get." Gilda grumbled but nodded begrudgingly. "Never thought I would be taking the opinion from a piece of jewelry." She mumbled. Sunset's cell phone began to ring, so she picked it up off the desk and saw that it was Pinkie Pie. "Damn. Pinkie Pie. I forgot to call her." Sunset muttered before answering the call. "Sunset! Sunset are you alright?!" Pinkie voice exclaimed from the other end. Sunset held the phone away from her to avoid the girl's high-pitched voice from breaking her eardrums. "Yes, yes I'm okay. Gilda and I had a conversation with Bon Bon, and we came to an agreement." Sunset explained. "She won't fight us." "Will she help us find Anon-A-Miss then?" Pinkie asked. Sunset pursed her lips and let out a small hiss. "She didn't say no." "Darn. By the way, why did you guys barge into the room when I was still arguing with her?" Pinkie suddenly asked. "What do you mean?" "Well, I was calling you guys to let you guys know to hold back from coming into the room." Sunset let out a small groan. "No Pinkie, the phone ringing was the call sign to get into the room." Sunset sighed. "Were you paying attention." "Of course she wasn't" Gilda snorted. "All that sugar went to her head and not her stomach." "I may have, maybe, missed it?" Pinkie said hesitantly. "It's not matter. We got Bon Bon relatively on board. Are you okay?" Sunset asked the girl. "Yep. I am all better." Pinkie answered, which allowed Sunset to breathe a sigh of relief. "Where are you right now?" "I'm heading to SugarCube Corner. I need to help the cakes set up the dessert for the anti-bullying fundraiser." "Oh, yeah that. I had nearly forgotten." Sunset groaned while glaring at Gilda, who was trying her best to restrain a laugh. "Fantastic." "Celestia set it up to help the school, she wasn't targeting you." Pinkie tried to reassure her. "It doesn't change the fact that all the fundraiser will do is paint a larger target on my back." Sunset sighed. "Also, I am pretty sure that it was mostly Luna's idea." "We'll find Anon-A-Miss and bring her to justice. I promise." "Thank you, Pinkie." Sunset nodded. "See you tomorrow." "See ya!" Pinkie cheerfully chirped before Sunset hung up the phone. Sunset put the phone back on the desk and bent over her computer. "Lovely." "What did you expect? Even though Celestia may like you, her sister certainly doesn't." "I am well aware of that Gilda." Sunset sighed. "I had just hoped that maybe I'd be able to forget that I am hated by everyone in the school for at least one hour." "Not being hated? For people like us? We can't afford such luxuries." Gilda snorted. "I know. I know." Sunset nodded regretfully. Gilda looked over at Sunset and saw that the girl was still sulking. She rolled her eyes and gave Sunset a small smack on the top of her head, causing Sunset to recoil and look up at her in response. "Get over yourself. So what if the entire school hates you? Who cares what they think?" "Gilda, I don't want to be ..." "And why are you bothered by it. You were hated for most of your time here and it never bothered you." Gilda interrupted. She grabbed Sunset by the shoulder and turned her so that they were looking at each other face to face. "The Sunset I know was never bothered by it, so why are you now?" "I am trying to be better." Sunset muttered as she tried to pull herself out of Gilda's grasp, but found that the white haired girl's grip was much stronger than she had anticipated. "Be better yeah, but never let them change who you are." Gilda put a finger on Sunset's chest. "The old Sunset is in there. The one who never took bullshit from anyone else, is hard headed, and self reliant." Gilda grabbed pulled Sunset a bit closer which caused a small blush to appear on her face. "Come on girl. Get a hold of yourself." Sunset looked away as Gilda let her go. "I ....I don't want to revert back to my old self." "Even if it means Anon-A-Miss gets away with all her shit?" Gilda snapped. Sunset closed her eyes and rubbed her head. "I just need to think." She sighed. The moment she uttered those words, the phone began to ring again, causing her to let out a frustrated sigh. She answered the phone and lifted it up to her ear. "What?" She hissed coldly. "Meet me at SugarCube Corner. Don't keep me waiting." Bon Bon's voice said from the other side. "Bon Bon? How did you get my number?" Sunset snapped as she held the phone in front of her, shocked. "I have my ways. Come now." Bon Bon voice ordered before the call ended. Sunset slowly lowered her phone and turned towards Gilda whose eyes were narrowed in suspiscon. "Sounds serious." Gilda muttered. }}}I sensed no hostility from the girl when she left. However things could have changed. I suggest caution.{{{ "The Witchblade says we should be cautious." Sunset informed Gilda. "I agree." Gilda nodded. "I hope this girl still doesn't think you are still Anon-A-Miss. Otherwise, we are going to have a proglem." "Do you think I should go in my armor?" Sunset asked. "I don't want to transform and rip up my clothes. I already tore up one today, I don't want to go through another." "You think she might attack us?" Gilda raised an eyebrow. Sunset pursed her lips as she tapped her foot on the floor. "She gave me a run for my money. Also, it's good to stay prepared." Sunset looked down at her bracelet where the Witchblade resided in. "Can I wear clothes over my armor?" }}}I don't suggest it. Any clothes over your transformation will be torn by the many metal protrusions coming out from your body.{{{ "That's a no." Sunset sighed. She got up from her desk and walked over towards her drawer. "I'll just grab a pair of extra clothes just in case." "I can help you carry it." Gilda offered. "Thanks Gilda." Sunset muttered. "But hopefully, it doesn't come to any that." "Just remember to not let her shake you down. Remind her who Sunset Shimmer is." Sunset also hoped it wouldn't come to that as well. She wished to put her past behind her, to move on. But it seemed no matter what she did, it always came back to haunt her. Her only hope was that when all of this was over, she could return back to her friendship with the rainbooms. However, the lingering doubt in her mind stayed firm, the doubt that her friendship would never return back to normal, and that she never really changed after the day Twilight Sparkle arrived. Witchblade Pinkie kicked open the door and put her arms out into the air. "Hey guys! Sorry for making you wait!" She said as she skipped over to her friend's table. All of the Rainbooms were there and looked to have been in a very intense discussion about a topic that Pinkie couldn't overhear. As she sat down next to Fluttershy, she noticed that the air looked to be a bit intense. "What's up, guys? What's wrong?" Pinkie asked as she turned towards her friends. They all looked to have grim expressions on their faces. "Pinkie, we need to talk." Applejack muttered. "Sunset is obviously manipulating you." "What?! This conversation again?" Pinkie exclaimed. "I told you, I choose who I sit with!" "She obviously got you hurt darling." Rarity sighed. "We simply wish the best for you. I spoke with Lyra on the phone, and she said that you got hurt because of her." "Lyra doesn't know anything!" Pinkie snapped. "Pinkie, don't be stubborn." Applejack sighed. "I can't believe we're having this conversation again." Pinkie scoffed. "Can't I choose who I hang out with? Sunset looked sad, and I wanted to make her happy again." "Well, maybe she doesn't deserve happiness!" Rainbow finally exclaimed. "Did you forget what she did before Twilight got here?!" "I didn't! I just let it go!" Pinkie finally snapped, standing up at the table. "I forgave her! Why can't you guys just do the same?!" Pinkie finally snapped. "Because she's hurting us." Rarity begged. "And she's hurting you. Darling, we just want to help you." "Well, you're not." Pinkie pouted. "Pinkie, don't be stubborn." Applejack sighed. "Who is being stubborn here?!" "Pinkie, please." Applejack begged before Pinkie stormed off. She watched as the girl walked up to Mrs. Cake. Applejack let out a sigh and turned back to the rest of her friends. "That went well." Rainbow sighed. "I still think we should consider talking with Sunset." Fluttershy said meekly. "Hell no. Why would we do that?" Rainbow scowled as she took a sip from the cherry soda float in front of her. "Because I'm tired of treating her as an outcast as well," Fluttershy mumbled. "I just think if we just talked with her, we can ..." "There just isn't changing some people like her Fluttershy." Applejack scoffed. "Some people are just evil by their nature." "The question is what do with Pinkie." Rarity interjected, switching the topic. Rainbow noticed Pinkie follow Mrs. Cake into the backroom of the cafe but shrugged it off since the cyberbullying awareness fundraiser was tonight. Pinkie was probably going to deliver the goods to the fundraiser after all. "Do what with Pinkie Pie?" A familiar voice called out. Rainbow looked over her shoulder to see a familiar girl approaching the table. She was wearing her usual attire, which consisted of a leather jacket with a green lighting bolt in the middle of it. For some reason, she still had her backpack on despite it being after school, but it looked to be a different than the one she used at school. "Lighting Dust! Why are you here?" Rainbow scoffed. "Paying respect to my captain, of course." Dust smirked. There was something tucked under her arm which she took out before planting it on the table. The girl pushed it over towards Rainbow Dash with a smirk. Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow with some suspicion as she eyed the long box. "Ah, don't be such a worry tart captain. Open it up." Rainbow shrugged and opened up the box, revealing a pair of new soccer shoes in them. It wasn't just soccer shoes, though; it was one of the brand names. It was called the Magnus cleats and cost up to 1000 dollars per pair. Everyone's eyes bulged out as they stared at the new pair that was sitting right before them. "Holy shit." Rainbow whispered as she took out the new pair of shoes. "You didn't have to." "But I chose to." Dust scoffed. "Got payday early. Decided to spoil my captain a little bit." Lightning Dust pulled Rainbow over towards her and gave the girl a long kiss on the cheek. "Enough Dust." Rainbow scoffed as she pushed the girl off her. "What's the occasion?" "Got a big payday." Dust smirked. "Might be getting more in the future. I've been in a cheerful mood." "Wish we could feel the same." Rarity sighed. "Ay, come on. What's the big deal?" Dust asked as she sat down next to Rainbow at the table. "Why the sour mood?" "It's Sunset." Rainbowdash scowled. "She's still spreading rumors." "Ah, yes. Anon-A-Miss. May she burn in hell." Dust rolled her eyes. "Please. As if she is some big shot." "She manipulated Pinkie to be her friend again." Rarity mumbled. "And we can't get through to her." Rainbow noticed Dust's demeanor change and shift. It seemed to shift to worry and concern, but it was the hint of frustration and anger under it that caught her attention. Dust didn't seem to be bothered by much, but when it did, she had a hard time hiding it. However, Rainbow wasn't sure why Pinkie rejoining Sunset would bother the girl so much. "Ah, that is a problem." Dust nodded. "How about this? As a celebration of my sudden bonus, I go talk with her." "You'll do that for us?" Rarity beamed. "I am a generous girl." Dust smirked. "Please, Dust. You don't have to do this." Rainbow sighed. "Please, captain. I insist." Dust insisted. Rainbow began to protest but saw that Dust had that steely gaze. The one that said that she wasn't going to budge on the issue. "Fine. Just be gentle." Rainbow rolled her eyes. "I am always gentle, captain." Dust smirked before getting up from the table. Lightning Dust left the table and saw Pinkie helping Mrs. Cake take some confectionaries out from the back. Dust narrowed her eyes and waited until Pinkie had put all the boxes onto a service cart. The moment Pinkie's hand was empty, Dust rapidly approached the girl, slammed her hand against the metal handle of the cart, and then glared at her. "I need to speak to you about a certain Sunset Shimmer. Would you indulge me for a second?" Dust asked. Pinkie hesitated and looked over at Mrs. Cake. The woman simply shrugged before stating, "Go talk with your friend. You've been going through a lot lately anyways." The woman said before taking the cart and wheeling it away. "So. I have heard that you have been feeling bad for Sunset." Dust explained as she walked up to a table in the cafe in front of Pinkie. She and Pinkie sat down in front of each other, the latter averting her eyes nervously over toward the table where her other friends sat. However, the other rainbooms quickly turned away the moment Pinkie turned her attention toward them. "Now. How about we have a drink and a small chat?" Dust smirked as she took out a small bottle from her backpack along with two tiny shot cups. "I don't drink." Pinkie declined. "Oh, come on." Dust smirked. "What's wrong with indulging yourself a little?" The girl chuckled. "Sometimes, you just need to treat yourself, eh?" Pinkie started to decline again but felt the other girl's gaze focused on her. As she looked up at Lightning Dust's eyes, there was something unnatural about it. It gave a menacing hue and seemed to bare down right at her. She began to sweat a little as Dust leaned forward a bit. The girl poured the two shots and pushed one over toward her. The drink smelled of berries. There was something tantalizing about it as she felt a strange force pushing her to drink. It beckoned her to give up her inhibitions and simply drink. Pinkie took in a deep breath and forced herself to push the drink away. "I don't drink sorry." She smiled while her blood began to chill, causing her to shiver a bit. "Well, more for me." Dust shrugged as she took the two shots and downed them both in rapid succession. "So tell me, why do you feel bad for the girl who started Anon-A-Miss hmm?" "She isn't Anon-A-Miss!" Pinkie snapped. "Why do people keep saying it's her while it's obviously not." "Because she blackmailed people into doing favors for her, don't you remember?" Dust explained. "How could it not be her?" Pinkie hesitated as she watched Lightning Dust pour another shot. The girl pushed it in the middle of the table, just far enough so that it was out of reach, but close enough that Pinkie could smell the aroma wafting towards her. "I thought about it as well, but many of those favors seemed to be mostly done to ruin her reputation, and not help her in any way. Like, what benefit does Sunset have from blackmailing a random student to draw graffiti all over the desks of students?" "Maybe she hates the school, I don't know. Besides, didn't she have enemies from the classroom? Maybe she wanted to send a message?" Dust shrugged. "Sunset doesn't hate Derpy." Pinkie snapped. "Didn't she bully that poor innocent girl before Twilight arrived?" Dust said softly, her face scrunching up in a mockingly sad visage. "I don't know why she did it, but she explicitly said that it wasn't personal. Whoever is trying to frame her must be a dummy and super bad at their job." "Maybe she was lying?" Dust snapped, slamming her hand on the table, causing Pinkie to flinch. "Ever thought of that tidbit? Huh?" Pinkie looked up and saw that Lightning Dust features had now turned cold and stern. Behind the girl's eyes was nothing but ice as she glared at Pinkie. The girl's mouth was a sneer, and it was obvious to Pinkie that her patience was running low. "W-well ...I know Sunset, and I know she wouldn't lie about that." "Yeah, because she totally didn't lie to you before, did she?" Dust sneered. "W-why are you so invested in this anyways?" Pinkie tried to remain calm as she tried to avert her eyes from Dust's icy glare. "You involved in Anon-A-Miss in any way?" "You are treading on fragile ground GIRL." Dust scowled. "Y-yeah. I-in what way?" Pinkie stammered. "I didn't say that you were Anon-A-Miss did I?" She muttered. Pinkie could hear Dust growling now, and when she slowly looked over at Dust without turning her head, she saw the girl's expression now resembled an angry tiger. Dust got up from her seat and stepped forward as if to approach Pinkie, which caused the girl's blood to turn cold. Even though they were in a public place, somehow, she sensed that wouldn't stop whatever Dust was going to do. Before Lightning Dust could get any closer, a hand grabbed the girl by the shoulder and stopped her in her tracks. "You causing trouble?" A familiar voice sneered, Pinkie looked over and saw none other than Bon Bon, gripping Lightning Dust's shoulder with a stern expression. Lightning Dust let out a snort and brushed Bon Bon's hand aside before raising her hand up. "Was just leaving." Dust snapped before storming off past the Rainbooms, who watched in confusion before the girl walked out of the cafe. "Thanks." Pinkie muttered as Bon Bon sat where Lightning Dust was. "Had a conversation with Sunset." Bon Bon said. "S-sorry about the whole thing at the school." "Bah, I have had worse meetings." Bon Bon snorted. "Anyways, me and Sunset had a friendly discussion as calm and reasonable people and have come to an agreement." "O-oh. That's good." Pinkie beamed. "Yes. I don't want to keep you here, Mrs. Cake seems to need your help." Bon Bon remarked as she pointed at the woman who was moving a cart full of pastries towards the truck. "O-oh. Right!" Pinkie jumped up. Before the girl could run off, Bon Bon noticed the shot glass sitting in the middle of the table. She snatched it and sniffed it before grabbing Pinkie's arm. "Hey, where did this come from?" The girl asked Pinkie. Pinkie opened her mouth in surprise and turned towards the entrance where Lightning Dust had walked out of. "Oh, it came from Dust. I don't know where she got it, though. Why?" Bon Bon gave Pinkie a small smile. "Was just curious. I recognized the brand. I guess we both drink the same type." "Oh. I didn't know you drank." "I am a woman of many secrets." Bon Bon smiled. "Welp, you have a fundraiser to go to, don't you?" Pinkie gave the girl a smile before running off to help Mrs. Cake with her pastries. Bon Bon narrowed her eyes as she stared at the shot cup, which had a bunch of berries wafting out from it. She stuck a finger into it and tasted a drop of the beverage. From what she gathered, it had supernatural qualities to it, one which made people drop their inhibitions and restraint. However, it was a special brand mostly done to rile people up. "Ninkasi." Bon Bon hissed. Witchblade Berry Punch stood in front of the school, staring out into the sky while mixing a vial of her special brand of whisky. She let out a small whistle as she saw the different attendees walk up the steps towards the double doors in front of them. {Are you nervous?} "A little." Berry Punch nodded. "Let me fix that." Berry popped open her vial and gulped down the entire bottle before letting out a satisfied sigh. She wiped her mouth using her sleeve as she leaned back against the railing of the school soccer field. "All fixed." She smirked. {Hm. You seem to be in a jolly mood.} "Well, today you are going to become the prince, aren't you? That means more drinks for all of us." {You know that's not how it works. Tell me, I never understood why you let yourself be possessed.} Berry Punch smirked and let out a small sigh. "When Sunset Shimmer was still the queen of this school, I was her supply of illegal alcohol due to my dashing looks and capability to create alcohol out of thin air." The girl muttered. {The same Sunset Shimmer that Anon-A-Miss is targeting?} "The one and only." Berry slurred. "After she got dethroned, though, life got hellish. Got worse when she spilled on all her associates." Berry let out a small sigh. "My parents weren't happy, and neither was the principal." Berry turned towards the school with a scowl. "This school forgot who was the hand that fed it. They didn't complain when I provided my own special brand of alcohol, but when it was convenient, they threw me under the bus." Berry squeezed her bottle, causing it to shatter in her grasp. "I won't miss this school when it goes up in flames." Berry smirked. "They'll learn. They'll learn soon enough that you don't bite the hand that feeds you. The hand that kept them so fat and happy." {Huh. You remind me of myself.} "Do I?" {After mortals slowly stopped believing in me, me and my pantheon had to flee. Like other pantheons, we were absorbed into others. Mortals forgot who their brewer was and continued to drink while they cast me aside.} "Hm." Berry Punch closed her eyes and let out a small sigh. "That seems to be a recurring theme recently." {Quite, and I was lucky to be turned into a Wendigo instead of the other many nasty creatures I could have been transformed into. But after this, I should have enough power to break free from my chains and reclaim some power once again.} "What do you have planned after all of this is over?" {I'm thinking of taking up craft brewing.} "Hardy har." Berry Punch snorted as she turned back towards the school. "It's showtime. Let's hope that Lightning Dust lives up to her family name." {Whether or not she does, all that matters is the ritual going through.} "Don't worry. I remember." Berry Punch muttered. She looked up and saw that some of the attendees of the fundraiser were looking at her strangely. She let out a sigh realizing that she must be looking crazy for speaking to herself. 'You ready?' {As ready as we'll ever be.} 'Showtime then.' Berry Punch stretched her arms and turned towards the school. 'Good riddance, you hunk of concrete.' The girl then turned and walked off. Berry made her way into the parking lot behind the school and leaned against the brick wall. She took in a deep breath before reaching into Ninkasi's power. She felt the Wendigo's power flow into her, stretching and twisting her body until she was transformed into a large orange-skinned woman. She took in a deep breath and gave a toothy grin as she felt the demon's consciousness merge with hers. Her time was now, and she was ready. Author's Note Hello there Hi. Just some notes about this chapter. This chapter was the hardest one to write, because there were just too many characters. I also plan to add more, so I have spent a lot of time debating what to do with them. I have made the decision to make some minor arcs to further develop some of the characters. I plan to go further into explaining Thorax, Silverstream, and the rest of the Cyberforce in later chapters after this arc before I go on to the next Wendigo. This chapter also went through a lot of changes. My original idea was to reveal that Thorax had killed Gilda's parents, but that made the story too bogged down, so I had to trim it down. I also intended Thorax and Silverstream to have larger roles, but then I realized I couldn't fit them all in this arc, so I had to make that cut as well. Another part is how I was planning to fit the Wendigos into the story. They were originally supposed to be the princes of hell, but then I watched Hazbin Hotel and realized that there were better candidates for that role, so I demoted them to Dukes. The actual Princes will appear later, and it also suits that the Wendigos are minor demons. I also wanted to fit other mythologies into the story, because Ninkasi and the other Wendigo's names came from other deities or mythological figures. And I wanted to acknowledge their roles instead of just robbing their name from underneath them. I am nearly done with the final part of the arc, and it should be out very soon so stay tuned. (EDITS) Bon Bon regained hearing and overhead Sunset saying she has the Witchblade on (Case 2-3 Ninkasi): The Gluttonous FundraiserSnowflakes drifted gently from the sky down to the ground as soft as cotton. Sunset stood in front of SugarCube Corner alongside Gilda as they stared into the shop. Sunset rubbed her bracelet as she waited nervously for the Rainbooms to leave. They were all packing up and looked to be having a small discussion which was inaudible to her. "They are probably talking about you." Gilda muttered. "Probably still having their panties in a twist about Anon-A-Miss." "Yeah." Sunset muttered. "Why are you still crying over them? They aren't your friends." "They were there during my lowest moment." Sunset snapped. "I need to stick with them while they are at theirs." Gilda let out a small sigh as she turned towards Sunset. "Listen, girl. I know RainbowDash, and I know that she is as loyal as they come to her friends ...." "Really?" Sunset snorted. "She was quite quick to ditch me." "That's the thing." Gilda remarked. "She is loyal to her friends, and she ditched you. Now put the pieces together." That caused Sunset to bristle. "I know you think you are helping ...." "I am." "But I am sticking with them. And that's final." The ostracized girl growled stubbornly. "Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" Gilda snapped. Before Sunset could come up with a response, RainbowDash and the rest of the Rainbooms walked out of SugarCube Corner. Sunset turned towards Gilda with a finger up and muttered, "We'll talk about this later." Gilda let out an exasperated sigh and threw her arms up in the air as RainbowDash, Applejack, and Rarity walked past them. Applejack crossed her arms as the three of them faced Sunset and Gilda. "We aren't here for any trouble guys." Sunset sighed. "Please, I've had a long day." "I don't know what you've said to trick Pinkie Pie ...." Applejack started. "Oh, for fucks sake." Gilda muttered. "But if you hurt her, I will make sure you regret it." Applejack sneered. "Oh please. This isn't about Anon-A-Miss." Gilda snorted. "Excuse me?" Gilda scowled as she walked up towards the farm girl and towered over her. She looked down and gave a crooked grin. "You know what I am talking about." "Gilda. Enough. Just let them throw their insults, and then we can go." Sunset grabbed Gilda's arm, but the large girl wouldn't move. "This is about the bake sale, isn't it?" Gilda snorted. "Still never moved on from that. Honest in how she speaks, but as thick-headed as they come." "Gilda!" "This isn't about the Bake Sale." The farm girl snapped. "Oh yeah, sure it isn't." Gilda scoffed. "Oh, please. I know all about grudges, and I can recognize it from a mile away." "Darling, just let them go. Ignore them, they just want attention." Rarity sighed. Applejack hesitated but finally clenched her teeth and walked around Gilda with Rarity and RainbowDash behind her. Sunset looked down at the ground as the three walked past them. However, as she heard their footsteps fade into the background, she couldn't help but ask one question. "I thought we were friends." Sunset asked without looking behind her. "We were." RainbowDash answered, with the others being silent. Sunset stood still, right there on the sidewalk, as she tried to retain her composure. A small sniffle escaped her lips as all the emotion she had been pushing away bubbled out onto the surface. She wiped her eyes, telling herself over and over that she had a job to do, but her soul wouldn't stop as tears began to drip from her cheeks. The former unicorn let out an ugly cough as she slowly lost the battle against her emotions. She didn't notice Gilda wrapping her arms around her until the tall girl had Sunset in a large hug. "Don't let them get to you." Gilda muttered. "Y-yeah." Sunset stammered. "I-I was just c-caught off g-guard." "Take as long as you need." "N-no. I-I don't want to k-keep Bon Bon waiting." "I couldn't give a damn what Bon Bon thought. What about you?" Gilda whispered. Sunset stopped protesting and simply held Gilda's arms closer as she finally stopped fighting the tears and let them flow out. She let out heartbroken sobs as Gilda hugged Sunset closer. She clenched her teeth and broke down, with Gilda being the only reason why she hadn't fallen to the ground. After a couple of minutes, Sunset's emotions began to steady. She hiccuped and wiped her eyes with her sleeves before letting out one final sob. "I'm done." She muttered miserably. "It'll be okay, Sunny." Gilda muttered. "The sun will rise again one day." "Did you just come up with that just now?" "Mmmmmaybe." Gilda smirked. Sunset let out a snort before taking in a deep breath. She slowly pulled herself out of Gilda's grasp and turned towards SugarCube Corner once again. "Come on. Let's go see what was so urgent that Bon Bon needed us here as soon as possible." Sunset whispered. "Fine. Don't want to give her any more material to complain about, ay?" Gilda smirked. Both of them walked through the doors of SugarCube Corner, where they immediately saw Sweetie Drops, known to them as Bon Bon, sitting at one of the tables at the back of the store. The girl had a scowl on her face and was tapping on the table impatiently. When she saw the two enter, she threw her hands up and gestured impatiently for them to sit in front of her. Sunset and Gilda did as instructed and sat in front of the girl who had her hands in front of her. "You're late." "You didn't give us a time limit." Gilda shrugged. "If you immediately came here from Sunset's home, you would have been here three minutes earlier." Bon Bon snapped. "How do you know that?" Sunset asked. "I have my ways." Bon Bon shrugged. "Time is precious. I have been tracking the demon of Gluttony and have managed to trace her location." The girl explained. "Great. So, do we know who she is?" Sunset questioned. "No. Her identity is hidden to me as it will be to you." Bon Bon explained. "Though I don't know what the demon host is, I do know where they will be." "Perfect. Where and when?" Sunset shrugged. "Canterlort High School and tonight." Bon Bon answered. This caused Sunset's emotions to flare up, and she slammed her hand on the table, which caused it to shake. This got the attention of Mister Cake, who was wiping down a couple of tables. He turned towards them with an eyebrow raised. "Is everything okay?" Mister Cake asked. "Everything is fine." Bon Bon answered as she glared at Sunset. "We were just hashing out some disagreements. Sunset here is a very reasonable person, and she will demonstrate this by sitting down!" Sunset scowled but followed the girl's instructions and sat back down. Mr. Cake shrugged and walked away into the backroom of the Cafe, leaving them all alone in the diner. Bon Bon reached into her jacket pocket and took out a small metal flask. "Your friends will be okay." Bon Bon explained. "Pinkie Pie is just there to deliver the confectionaries, and Octavia is doing the performance. All Ninkasi wants are the attendees." "You didn't see it fit to tell us that a wendigo was going to attack our school today earlier?!" Sunset hissed. "This plan is extremely sensitive. I had to think it over." Bon Bon rationalized. "But after some consideration, I have determined that I hate you less than the demons trying to eat all of our souls." "You still think Sunset here is Anon-A-Miss?" Gilda raised an eyebrow. "I don't care if she's Anon-A-Miss or not; she tormented everyone in the school for years. Do you expect all of us to just forgive and forget?" "You sure seemed keen after Twilight." Gilda snapped. Bon Bon pursed her lips and stared down at her metal flask, her face twisting with what looked to be shame, apprehension, and inner conflict. "That was different." She muttered. "Sure didn't seem like it." Gilda growled. "So what changed huh? When the Sirens attacked, you and the rest of the school seemed to like her when she could solve all your problems." Before Gilda could get another word out, the pink and blue-haired girl slammed her hand onto the table. "Do you want to help your friends or not?" She scowled. Sunset let out a sigh but relented and raised her hand in front of Gilda. "I don't like it either, but a demon is currently as the school. We can scold her about her distrust later." Sunset muttered. Gilda nodded, crossed her arms, and gestured for Bon Bon to continue. Before they could continue their conversation, Mr. Cake walked over with a towel wrapped around his arm. "The cafe is going to close soon. Are there any last-minute orders you want to make?" The man asked. "No. We were just on our way." Bon Bon explained before she stood up from her seat. She took out her wallet and handed the man a dollar bill. "Tell Pinkie I said hi." "Will do." The store owner nodded as Bon Bon headed towards the door. "You two. In my car." Bon Bon ordered. Sunset rolled her eyes but followed the girl with Gilda right next to her. They all walked out of the cafe with Bon Bon at the lead. She led them towards a large business van that had Bon Bon's candy shop logo drawn on the side. She opened up the back of her van and gestured for the other two to follow behind her. As they all entered Bon Bon's van, Sunset immediately noticed the sniper rifle, rocket launcher, and grenades that lined the walls. There were small laptops strewn across the floor with a map of Canterlot High School right in the middle. Bon Bon closed the door behind them and turned on the ceiling lamp before turning her attention to the school map. "Okay. So there will be a ritual occurring tonight. It won't start until the attendees start eating, which will occur here." Bon Bon explained as she pointed in the middle of the auditorium. "I suspect the food will be spiked, so don't touch any." "You suspect?" Sunset hissed. "The demon feeds off of Gluttony. It can also induce Gluttonous behavior, but the environment needs to be right." Bon Bon explained. "When the initial spell reaches its limit, the ritual will begin, and the entire area will lock down, trapping everyone inside." "Trapping everyone inside." Sunset muttered. "I am familiar with these types of spells. Nobody in, and nobody out." Bon Bon nodded in confirmation. "Precisely. However, so will the Wendigo, which is where I planned to spring the trap. However ....do you still have the Witchblade?" Sunset nodded as she rubbed the bracelet on her wrist, its red gem gleaming under the light. "It never leaves my wrist." "Good then." Bon Bon muttered. "So all you need to do is get into the school building, wait for the Wendigo to reveal itself, and then we banish it." "What about the host?" Sunset snapped. Sunset saw Bon Bon hesitate and watched as the girl rubbed her fingers together. "I have a device that will neutralize the demon." She finally answered after a short time of deliberation. "Will it kill them?" Sunset asked. "Does it matter?" "To me, it does." "Then good for you because the device doesn't kill the host. Just knocks them on their ass for a couple of minutes." Bon Bon explained. "Then we can neutralize the demon and keep the host alive." "So all you need for me to do is to distract the demon while you trap it?" Sunset raised an eyebrow. "Yep." "Seems too simple." "Wendigos are not that smart." Bon Bon shrugged. "Besides, the most simple plans are usually the best plans." Sunset pursed her lips before finally letting out a heavy sigh. "Fine then. We'll go with what you have." "Good. Then I'll get us moving." Bon Bon said as she moved towards the front of the van. She reached into one of the seat pockets and took out two earpieces. "Catch." The girl tossed them into Sunset's and Gilda's arm. "When we get there, I'll keep you updated on the plan and keep track of you. Press the center when you want to speak to me. Got it?" "Got it." Sunset muttered as Bon Bon got into the driver's seat and started the vehicle. "I don't like this Sunset. This is moving too fast." Gilda whispered as the van began to move. Sunset nodded as an uncomfortable feeling crept up her spine. She turned towards Bon Bon and saw the girl move rigidly as she drove the van down the street. Something was wrong about this whole situation, and she couldn't help but feel they were being led along. "I agree." Sunset muttered. "But we don't have a choice. If there is a Wendigo attacking the school tonight ...." "I know." Gilda nodded as she reached into her jacket, procuring out a small metal cylinder. "Got the spear, just in case." "You've just been carrying this around?" Sunset asked. Gilda nodded yet again with a sly smile. "Yeah. Real good at smuggling things, you see." }}}The girl has good sense. There is a darkness surrounding the agent you are working with{{{ 'What do you mean?' }}}She is good at clouding her intentions. That is never a good sign. Keep vigilient.{{{ 'I will.' "When we get to the school, they won't be happy to see us." Gilda muttered as she put her spear back into her jacket. "I know." "Everyone in the school still thinks you're Anon-A-Miss, including Bon Bon here." Gilda murmured as she turned to look over at the girl driving. "Why are we working with her, even though she clearly still hates the both of us?" "Because right now, we can't afford to be picky with our allies." "Allies who hate us or are massive assholes." Sunset looked over at Bon Bon and gave a small, sad smile. "I don't blame her. Ann-A-Miss has shown me very few people actually forgave me." "Then why work with her? Let's go together and do it ourselves. Come on, we can take it." Sunset let out a small chuckle. "I'm sure we can. But I don't want to put you at unnecessary risk. Bon Bon here has probably done all the planning and has everything figured out already. We don't have one since we weren't even aware of this attack until now. So much for my detective work." Gilda let out a small sigh as she leaned against the car wall. "We sure have a habit of getting ourselves into a pinch ay?" She smirked. "Yeah." Sunset smirked. "But then again, are you really surprised?" Gilda let out a small snort in response. Sunset looked down at the Witchblade bracelet which sat on her wrist. She felt warmth emanate from it, and she began to feel a bit better. She began to rub the red gem as she prepared herself for yet another fight. Witchblade Lightning Dust let out a scowl as she parked her car in the parking lot of the school. She walked out towards the trunk, opened it up, and opened up a large black suitcase. Before she could begin to do what she had been tasked to complete, she felt her phone begin to ring in her pocket. She took out her phone and saw that it was Sunny Flare. She picked up the call and was greeted with, "You're late." In an annoyed tone. "Sorry, girl. had some trouble at the cafe." Dust smirked. "Will it be a problem?" "Nah, don't worry about it. Just that Pinkie Girl doesn't think that Sunset is Anon-A-Miss anymore." A loud groan was heard from the other end of the call. "That is a big problem. Is she working with Sunset?" "Not to my knowledge, no. Besides, she's one of the targets of the hit. I splatter their brains across the walls, call it an accident, then we call it a job well done." "If you don't do this discreetly, I am docking your next paycheck." Sunny Flare snapped. "No more murderous rampages. We need less heat." "Don't worry, I'll shoot a chandelier or something and cause it to fall on the infidels." "That's so obvious. I have hidden a chip that has all the information about the school behind one of the trees behind your car; use that." Sunny Flare scolded. Lightning Dust let out a groan and walked around towards that Sunny mentioned, and when she kneeled in front of it, she saw the small plastic chip lying against one of the roots. She picked it up while taking out her small modified ChangeData smartphone to slot the chip in. "Cops are swarming the area. Seems like the police department got tipped off about this little operation. You'll have to eliminate them before making your way to the gym." Sunny explained while Dust watched all the information displayed to her from her smartphone's screen. "From there, you have multiple angles to eliminate your target, which should be displayed to you." "I see it." Dust affirmed as she narrowed her eyes. "Found a good spot." "Silencer on. Use the modified one from ChangeData. Remember, no mass murders." Sunny Flare snapped. "Got it, whatever." Dust snorted as Sunny ended the call. The sports girl shoved her smartphone back into her pocket before making her way back towards her car. She picked up her suitcase and went to the back of the school. From there, she took out a pistol, a rifle, along with a rocket launcher. After arming herself, she finished off her preparation by taking an orange mask with black stripes on the left half out. "There we go. Now we're in action." Dust smirked as she placed the masks over her face. She let out a small smile as she chambered a shell into her rifle. Witchblade Pinkie Pie placed the confectionaries onto the table that was set up around the gym. She wiped the sweat from her brow before patting her hands on her skirt. She gave a big smile before turning to Mrs. Cake, who was setting up the large cake in the middle of the gym. "All done." Pinkie announced cheerfully to the woman. "Thank you, Pinkie." Mrs. Cake smiled as she wiped her hand on her apron. "This order was a doozy. With all the cake and dessert they were ordering, you would think they were serving a small city." "Now that would be a party!" Pinkie beamed. Celestia and Luna walked over towards the two smiling while averting their eyes from the police presence in the gym. The two were dressed in formal wear, with Celestia wearing a golden and marble-colored dress. Luna, meanwhile, wore a dark blue, starry one that contrasted her sister's more sunny attire. "Thank you two for accepting such a large commission for this evening." Celestia smiled softly. "No problem!" Pinkie smirked. "SugarCube Corner is always happy to accommodate." "We do really appreciate it, you two. The other bakeries could only supply so much." Luna sighed. "This event is really important to us and the school." "Despite it being sponsored by a known criminal now." Celestia grumbled. "Say what?" Pinkie blinked. "The Iron Lady of Canterlot helped set this whole operation up." Luna muttered. "Her real name is still not known to most of the public, other than a few close associates." Luna let out a small sigh. "It's been a bit of a public relations disaster ever since her illegal dealings were revealed, but we still need to go through with it. Too much money and time was sunk into it." "And I wonder who had a hand in doing that?" A stern snobbish voice interrupted. Pinkie looked over Celestia and Luna's shoulder just as the two women turned around towards the source. What Pinkie saw made her blood turn cold, and her eyes began to widen as the figure walked up. It was none other than the masked woman who attacked her home, who attacked her parents and siblings. "Aria Blaze." Celestia pursed her lips as she stared at the tall woman who was walking up towards them with a small strut in her step. "Oh, come on. You say my name with such scorn." Aria Blaze snickered. "As if I somehow wronged you." "A version of you." Luna scoffed. "Pardon?" "Nothing." Luna muttered. Aria Blaze smirked as she walked over towards Pinkie, who was still frozen in shock as the mask that nearly killed her stood right before her. Pinkie took a step backward, but not before Aria lifted her head up with a finger. "Who is this girl?" Aria whispered. "Her name is Pinkie Pie. A student at our school who helped prepare this event." Celestia answered with a sigh. "Leave her alone; you're scaring the poor girl." "Nonsense. She's just having a bit of stage fright." Aria said as Pinkie pulled herself away from Aria. "Is it the mask?" "Pinkie had an encounter with a masked hitman." Celestia sighed. "Well then, never liked this thing anyway." Aria said as she reached up to her face and slowly pulled the heavy metal mask off. She gave a sly smile as she looked down at Pinkie, whose eyes widened. Aria parted her hair away to show more of her face and turned towards Celestia and Luna, who stared at her agape. "Am I too stunning for your taste?" Luna was the first one to blink out of her trance and shook her head. "Aria, why are you here? Shouldn't you be dealing with the PR disaster that Iron International is in?" "Maybe I should." Aria pressed her hands together. "But I decided to take a break today. Besides, I believe as the sister of the benefactress of this event, I should attend out of courtesy." "We would be thankful if you didn't." Luna scoffed. "Excuse me?" Before Luna could say anymore, Celestia cupped a hand over Luna's mouth and gave a forced smile. "She's trying to say that we don't want to bother you and take away valuable time away from your business." "Please. I can always make time for my subjects." Aria gave Celestia a small pat on the arm. "Don't sweat over it." Celestia grimaced from Aria's touch. She pushed the woman's hand away and cleared her throat. "Well, we are honored with your presence then." "Please, Celestia, don't be so formal." Aria scoffed as she turned towards Pinkie. She put a hand on Pinkie's shoulder, which caused the smaller girl to squirm. She tried to wrangle herself out of Aria's grasp, but the woman's grip was too strong. "I am not my sister. Just call me Ms. Blaze." "We still have some preparations to make, so if you would excuse us." Luna grimaced. Aria widened her eyes and lifted up her hand. "Of course. Besides, I need to have a word with young Pinkie here anyway about some ....business." "What business would you have with a student?" Celestia snapped. "Just business." Aria shrugged. "My sister recommended the services of SugarCube Corner before she was jailed." "Really?" Luna raised an eyebrow. Aria let out an exaggerated sigh, slumping her shoulder as she did so. She raised an eyebrow towards the two sisters. "Don't you have a fundraiser to prepare? Trust me, Pinkie will be safe with me and the ...." Aria looked around the room while gesturing out towards the multiple officers in the room. "And the entire police force, apparently." Aria chortled. Celestia looked hesitant to leave Aria with Pinkie in her hands, and Luna narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Eventually, though, Luna grabbed Celestia's shoulder and pulled the woman away. "We need to go have a talk with the police chief, remember?" She hissed. "Yeah, yeah, I remember." Celestia muttered before allowing herself to be pulled away by her sister. Aria watched as the two walked off towards the door of the gym. She smirked in amusement as the multiple police officers in the room glared at her, with hands sitting near their holsters. "Now that we are alone ...." Aria smirked as she gripped Pinkie's arm. "Let's have a small chat, shall we?" "W-what do you want?" Pinkie whispered nervously. "Just to ....reminisce about old times." Aria shrugged. "Nothing big." "I know you're the one who attacked me and my family." Pinkie muttered silently as she tried to stop her entire body from shaking. "I don't really care." Aria snorted. "However, I do need a favor from you." "W-what do you want?" Pinkie muttered. Aria simply just smiled as she slowly turned her head to look at Pinkie Pie. The girl's heart began to beat faster as she saw the sly grin forming on Aria's face. "Just need some bait." Witchblade When the van finally arrived at Canterlot High School, Bon Bon parked it on the sidewalk in front of the main entrance. The spot was conveniently empty for them despite the fact that there were many parked vehicles for the anti-bullying fundraiser. Sunset looked out the window and bristled at how many people were attending the event. "Look, Sunset, you're famous." Bon Bon snorted as she placed a small parking receipt onto the dashboard of the card. It seemed to Sunset that Bon Bon did have this all planned out after all. "The anti-bullying fundraiser could be for anything." Sunset muttered. "Yeah, the anti-bullying fundraiser that occurred right after Anon-A-Miss is totally a coincidence." Bon Bon snarked. "They'll all recognize you, and it'll break what we are doing here." "Do you have a plan, or are you just going to throw a childish tantrum all night?" Gilda snapped. Bon Bon let out a sigh before leaving the driver's wheel and making her way to the back of the vehicle. She grabbed two suitcases and handed them to Gilda and Sunset Shimmer. "What is this?" Sunset asked as she opened up the one given to her to see that there was a suit inside of it. "I was originally going to go in, but I decided the task would be best suited for you two." Bon Bon shrugged. "I'll stay here and monitor the situation from here." "So we take all the risk while you get to sit comfy. Got it." Gilda snorted. "There is a massive police presence here, and I can best monitor their movements from here." Bon Bon snapped. "Why is the entire police department here anyways?" Sunset asked as she peeked out the window, focusing her vision on the cops at the entrance. They were all spread out in an attempt to seem inconspicuous, and some of them were even wearing casual clothes in an attempt to disguise themselves. However, Sunset's vision was able to discern them thanks to the ability given to her by Sara Pezzini. "Because I tipped them off." Bon Bon answered. "Why?" Sunset asked incredulously. "Distraction." Bon Bon smirked. "When things go to hell, you'll be glad for the backup." Sunset rolled her eyes but closed her suitcase and made her way towards the backdoor. "Okay, where do we go?" She asked. "Backdoor of the school, through the parking lot. Stay in the shadows. This mission will be compromised if you are seen. Nobody can know that we are here." Bon Bon explained. "Also, none of us has an invitation." "Won't they recognize our face?" Sunset asked. "There is a small button on the tie. It will make your features more indiscernible." Bon Bon explained. "Don't get too close to anybody; otherwise, they will see through it. And remember ..." "Yeah yeah, stay stealthy." Gilda muttered as she and Sunset walked out the back of the van. The dark of night covered the school like a black veil. Sunset activated the Witchblade to get a better vision of her surroundings. From what she could see, most of the attendees were concentrated at the front of the school which gave a small path past some cars that lead into the parking lot in the back. Sunset ducked her head and gave Gilda a small pat on the shoulder to get their attention. She gestured for the white-haired girl to follow her through the street and between the cars parked on the sidewalk. The dark of night covered them as they snuck past the attendees who were in line next to the horse statue. After that, it was smooth sailing from there as they ducked behind the school building and made their way towards the parking lot. }}}Sunset. There is something off with this school.{{{ The Witchblade suddenly piped up. 'What is it?" }}}There is a spell around the building.{{{ 'Yeah, Bon Bon already told us about the shield.' }}}This isn't the shield. This is something else.{{{ 'What is it then?' }}}It is a very minor presence, and I barely felt it back in the vehicle. It is much stronger here. I feel like there is more that Bon Bon girl isn't telling us.{{{ Sunset and Gilda made it to the parking lot and began to approach the backdoor into the school. As they did, Bon Bon spoke up in their earpieces and informed them that there were a couple of police patrols passing by the area and that they needed to wait for her signal. Sunset waited by the door, but her mind was more focused on what the Witchblade was saying. 'Are you saying we might be set up?' }}}I am advising you to approach with caution.{{{ "Hey Sunset, are you speaking with the Witchblade?" Gilda whispered to her. "Yeah, how can you tell?" Sunset asked. Gilda tapped the side of her face next to her eyes. "You get this blank stare. What did the Witchblade say?" "Said to approach with caution. There is another spell in the area." Sunset explained. "What's new?" Gilda grumbled. "First magic, then sirens right before demons." Before Sunset could say anything else, Bon Bon spoke up through the earpiece, "Okay, guys, make your way down the hall now. Into the bathroom." Sunset reached for the backdoor and tried to open it, only to find it locked. She let out a small curse before backing up and manifesting a small metal blade that extended out from the Witchblade. She jabbed it into the lock and began to work on the lock before it finally clicked. She then pushed the doors open into the buildings. "Nice trick." Gilda nodded. "Didn't know it would work." Sunset sighed. "Wish I brought my lockpicking set with me." "You have one?" "You don't?" Gilda let out a small chuckle. "Yeah, fair enough." The two made their way into the school building, down the path given by Bon Bon. They eventually arrived at the bathrooms, which they quickly entered. Gilda and Sunset entered different stalls and began to change their clothes into the disguises that Bon Bon provided them. As they changed Bon Bon suddenly began to speak frantically. "No good. There is another person in the system." She muttered. "Who is it?" Sunset asked as she pressed the earpiece. "I don't know who it is, but they are good. I'll deal with them, and you deal with the Wendigo. "What about the device?" Gilda asked from the other stall. "It is hidden. The device will activate when the Wendigo is weakened." "It better." Gilda growled. "Otherwise, It's your ass I'm going to kick." Sunset finished changing into her suit and walked out of the stall alongside Gilda. She fumbled around her tie, found the button that Bon Bon was talking about, and pressed it. Immediately, a small veil surrounded her head that distorted the air around it. She could still see through it, though. She turned towards Gilda and saw the effects. The device made it so that their features were twisted in a way so that it was always blurry and indiscernible but subtle enough that it wouldn't draw too much attention. "Okay, where to now?" Sunset asked Bon Bon. "Make your way to the gym, and act like you belong. Wait for when Ninkasi appears. Don't eat any of the food." "Well, that's just a shame. I was thinking of gorging myself." Gilda snarked. "I'm serious. Eat one bite, and you get to be one of Ninkasi's victims." Bon Bon snapped. "Fun." Gilda muttered as they walked out of the restroom. "We won't touch a single cake." They made their way towards the gym, passing by a couple of officers on the way. The officers raised their eyebrows but let them pass as some attendees walked out of the gym towards the restrooms they were just in. When Sunset entered the gym, the first thing she noticed was how many confectionaries were piled up around the entire area. Huge cakes and shelves full of pastries ranging from cupcakes to cookies in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Tables were set up around the entire room, and many of them were filled. She kept her head down as she scanned the gym full of people for a place to sit. However, most of them were already full of attendees, who had plates full of sugary sweets, enough to cause a cardiac arrest. "Gilda, did you find a place to sit?" Sunset muttered into her earpiece. "Yeah, found a nice place all the way in the corner. There's a cop next to me, though." "Just keep your head down and be ready for anything." "Don't worry about me. Focus on you." Sunset approached one of the confectionary tables and pretended to be browsing the sweets. As she stood there, she heard familiar voices whispering near her. She looked up and saw none other than Lyra and Vinyl Scratch walking over towards her. "Vinyl and Lyra are here." Sunset hissed into her earpiece. "They'll leave with Octavia when she finishes her performance." Bon Bon reassured her from the other end. "Just sit tight." Sunset ducked her head down as Lyra and Vinyl stood next to her, looking down at the confectionaries. As she stood there, though, she began to eavesdrop on their conversation. "Octavia's mother is such a tight asshole." Lyra scowled. "What kind of mother starves her own child?" "I am more worried about Bon Bon." Vinyl whispered. From her appearance, nobody would guess that Vinyl Scratch was actually a very soft-spoken girl. There was a reason why Octavia enjoyed her presence despite their vastly different musical tastes. "She always pulls through. She always does." Lyra muttered. "I just wish I knew more about her. She just feels so ....distant sometimes." "I'm sure she has her reasons." "I just wish I knew her." Lyra said with frustration lining her voice. "Sometimes it feels as if our friendship is a lie." "She cares about you, she really does." Vinyl Scratch sighed. "This whole Anon-A-Miss thing is probably just weighing on her." "Anon-A-Miss is the whole reason this whole fundraiser was created." Lyra scoffed. "If only Sunset Shimmer would just come clean ...." Sunset clenched her fist at that statement but took in a deep breath and withheld the gates of her anger as she continued listening in on their conversation. "Who is the mystery sponsor of this fundraiser anyways?" Lyra scoffed. "Sunset must have pissed off someone quite powerful." "Only Octavia's mother knows. However, she will make an appearance today." Vinyl explained. Sunset raised an eyebrow as Lyra grabbed a couple of cupcakes and cookies before placing them onto a plate. The two girls began to walk off towards the stage, and after they made their way some distance, Sunset began to follow them. She focused her attention on their conversation. She activated Sarah Pezzini's unique Witchblade power which allowed her hearing and eyesight to sharpen. "I hope this is enough for Octavia." Lyra muttered. "I am more worried about smuggling it past her mother." Vinyl admitted. "That's something I am good at." Lyra said smugly. Sunset watched the two as they made their way up backstage. She was about to follow them until a certain figure caught her eye. She looked over to see Pinkie Pie sitting at one of the tables under a large chandelier that looked to have been hastily placed there. The girl had her hands clamped together nervously, and her eyes seemed to be unfocused. However, the main thing Sunset was focused on was how she was supposed to have left a long time ago. She began to make her way towards Pinkie until a hand grabbed her by the shoulder. "Hey, hey, hey. No no. I need her there." Aria's voice whispered into her ear. Sunset immediately turned around and pushed Aria back, who simply raised her hands into the air. "Good to see you too." Aria snorted. "What are you doing here?" Sunset hissed. "I was following some leads and found a lead that led here." Aria shrugged. "So you were following me?" "I am INSULTED that you would think so low of me." Aria gasped mockingly. "Yeah, a little. However, I ended up here because anything my sister sets up is usually a ploy or a front for something else." "Your sister set this whole event up?" Sunset hissed. Aria shrugged. "Yeah. She sponsors many events. However, she always held her cards close to her chest." Aria looked around the entire area. "But this one ....set up after Anon-A-Miss, right after the Wendigo's appearance? Not a coincidence." "Bon Bon confirmed that one will appear today." Sunset muttered. "Not surprised." Aria snorted. "Maybe that girl was some use after all. But right now, I am tracking someone else down." "And who is that?" "Someone that goes by the name of Tora No Shi." Aria explained. "Very deadly until she died." "So she doesn't sound like a problem anymore." "That is where you are wrong. She is very much a problem because her daughter thought it prudent to take up the mantle." Aria let out a small sigh. "Anyways, hold onto your pretty head." Aria smiled as she gave Sunset a small pat on her head. Sunset brushed the woman's hand away and turned her attention back to Pinkie Pie. "What is she doing here?" Sunset hissed. Aria shrugged. "Enjoying the view?" "I am serious." Aria let out a small sigh. "Pinkie will be safe. Don't get your panties in a twist." "She's leaving now." Sunset hissed as she pushed Aria to the side. The woman threw her hands up in the air before rolling her eyes and walking towards one of the tables in front of the stage. Sunset made her way towards Pinkie's table and sat next to the girl who was twiddling her finger. Pinkie turned towards Sunset with a raised eyebrow and asked, "Hello there. Who are you?" As Sunset sat in her seat. "Pinkie, it's me." Sunset hissed. Pinkie's eyes widened in realization as Sunset leaned forward toward the table. "Sunset? What are you doing here?" She whispered. "Dealing with Anon-A-Miss. What are you doing here? Why aren't you back home?" "I was distributing the desserts with Mrs. Cake silly." Pinkie smiled nervously. Sunset gestured towards the snack tables, which were fully stocked with all the different sugary snacks that were known to man. "Jobs done. Go home now. It's dangerous here." Pinkie pursed her lips nervously as she looked around the gym. "I can't." She whispered. "Why not?" Sunset hissed. Before Pinkie could answer, the sound of a cello echoed throughout the gym. Sunset turned her attention toward the stage and saw the curtains opening, revealing Octavia playing her cello. Principal Celestia and Vice-principal Luna stood at the front of the stage. Behind them stood a police officer who had tangelo skin that Sunset did not recognize. "Hello, everyone. I would like to thank all of you for coming here to help bring awareness for bullying on campus." Principal Celestia began. Sunset rolled her eyes as she began to tune out the rest of the opening speech. She looked over to see Aria, who had her legs resting on the table. She had a disinterested look on her face and was staring at the stage. She then looked around and caught a glimpse of Gilda, who was sitting nervously with a police officer looking over her shoulder. "Sunset, there is a problem." Bon Bon suddenly spoke through the earpiece. "What is it now?" "No ....not now." Bon Bon cursed before the earpiece began to static. "Bon Bon?" Sunset hissed silently. "Is everything alright?" Pinkie asked, concerned. "Yeah yeah," Sunset nodded at Pinkie before pressing her earpiece again. "Bon Bon, come in." "..... and the guest of honor here today is none other than Ninkasi! Our first speaker for today!" Celestia suddenly finished her speech. Sunset felt her blood go cold as her surroundings went silent. She turned towards the stage to see an orange, very round woman walk up to the microphone. As she stared at Ninkasi, the woman stared back at her. Their eyes locked, and in the brief second, Ninkasi's expression turned from shock all the way to rage. There was a second of silence as everyone in the gym stood still awkwardly. "Ummm, Ninkasi? Is everything ...." Celestia began before the snapping of metal echoed out. }}}SUNSET MOVE!{{{ Sunset felt her senses return to her and looked up to see the chandelier falling down towards her and Pinkie. In a split-second reaction, she kicked her foot out, pushing Pinkie out of the way just before the metal piece fell onto her, pinning her to the floor. She let out a cry of pain as the metal barbs of the decoration stabbed into her chest, stomach, and legs. "Sunset!" Pinkie cried out as she rushed by Sunset's side. "Someone call the ambulance!" Somebody else cried out as Aria walked by Sunset's side. "Who puts a chandelier in a school gym?" Sunset coughed out along with blood. "It was actually my idea." Aria shrugged. "You know, the mayor and her girlfriend were supposed to sit in the seat under here alongside Adagio before she was ...." Aria's eyes suddenly looked up at the railings that hung from the ceiling. "Duck." "What?" Was all Pinkie could get out before Aria suddenly grabbed the girl by the head and pushed her onto the floor forcibly, just in time as well, as a bullet fired past just where her head was seconds earlier. "Take cover, you two. I need to go discipline someone." Aria smiled as she yanked a piece of metal from the broken chandelier. Pinkie desperately tried to pull the Chandelier off while Sunset turned her attention to the stage, where Ninkasi looked around the entire gym. "Ninkasi!" Sunset roared. Ninkasi turned her attention towards Sunset and scowled. "Fuck it. Plan B." The orange-skinned woman's hands suddenly glowed with energy before she slammed both into the ground. The gym began to shake as panicked attendees rushed towards the exits, only to find all of them locked. A couple tried to open the windows, only to find each of them locked. Police officers ran out into the middle of the gym with their weapons raised towards Ninkasi. "Hands above your head!" The police officer behind Ninkasi ordered while he pushed Celestia and Luna behind him. "Oh, Spearhead, ever the obedient lapdog." Ninkasi sighed as she looked over her shoulder at Spearhead. "Save it, Ninkasi. You're under arrest for murder, cannibalism, and human trafficking." "Let me ask you, officer, do you really think you've got me trapped?" Ninkasi scowled. "Let me tell you that I know I have you trapped." Spearhead scoffed. "You're surrounded." Ninkasi rolled her eyes and slowly raised her hands up. "Fine then, you got me." As the woman raised her hands into the air though, Sunset saw that her fingers were pressed together. "Don't move," Spearhead ordered as he slowly walked up to the woman. "Oh, don't worry, I won't," Ninkasi smirked. "But tell that to everyone else." Sunset felt a strong magic pulse throughout the entire gym and immediately knew something was wrong. Ninkasi was beginning to lose parts of her body mass as her fingers began to give off a small orange hue. She activated the Witchblade and felt a jolt of energy course throughout her body as metallic armor covered her from head to toe. Pinkie backed away in shock as Sunset pushed the Chandelier up off her body. }}}The Wendigo is about to cast a spell!{{{ 'I am aware of that!' "Sunset!" Gilda yelled as the girl ran over towards Sunset. "Everyone get down!" Sunset shouted as Ninkasi snapped her fingers, causing a wave of energy to pulse out throughout the gym. Gilda was knocked onto her back and slid along the floor alongside Pinkie Pie into the gym wall. Aria and a masked woman fell to the ground with a loud thud while sunset was thrown onto a table, which caused the confectionaries to fall over her. Sunset wiped the dough and cream off her face as she slowly tried to get up onto her feet. She looked around and saw that many cops were also knocked onto the back. They were getting up; however, the rest of the attendees were lying on the ground, motionless. Spearhead got up quickly and unloaded his pistol at Ninkasi, with the gunshots echoing throughout the gym. Ninkasi simply raised her arm and blocked all the shots directed at her. "What have you done!" Spearhead roared. Ninkasi simply smiled. "I haven't done anything yet." }}}Sunset, multiple hostile entities are arising. {{{ ''Where?' }}}Everywhere.{{{ Sunset felt confused for a second before she noticed that one of the attendees was beginning to stir. A police officer walked up to the person and jostled them a bit. "Hello, sir? Are you alright?" The officer asked. The man on the ground never answered and instead pounced on the officer, digging his teeth into the man's neck. The officer cried out in pain and shock as other attendees began to stir and let out frenzied roars. They began to tear each other apart, targeting everyone. The other police officers in the room began to discharge their weapons as they were swarmed with ravenous crowds. Spearhead turned around and walked to the backstage area, leaving Ninkasi alone at the edge. "This was supposed to be a simple endeavor!" Ninkasi roared. "But you just had to butt into business yet again, didn't you, Sunset Shimmer!" Sunset Shimmer got up off the ground just as one of the attendees grabbed her by the arm and bit into it, finding only metal. She looked around and found Gilda with her spear fending off three people while pushing Pinkie behind her. Pinkie's clothes and hair were covered in frosting, with a small circular tray stuck on her back. Sunset pushed through the crazed attendees and made her way to Gilda just in time to pull a growling man off the girl. She slammed her fist into the man's face, knocking him to the ground. "What the hell is going on!?" Gilda asked. "It's some sort of spell." Sunset answered as she pushed off a woman who frantically tried to take a bite into her neck. "Where the hell is Bon Bon and Aria?!" She roared. Her question was immediately answered as the masked woman from before suddenly plowed into her. Sunset was thrown across the flood as the woman aimed a pistol at Pinkie. Before her gun could fire, Aria tackled the woman to the ground before wailing at the assassin. The woman blocked Aria's attack and growled, "Nottingham." "The Tora No Shi title fits your mother better." Aria snarked before she was kicked off. Tora No Shi managed to get up off the ground, only for Aria to throw a sharp, broken metal pole into the woman's side. Tora stumbled forward before Aria rushed toward her yet again. Sunset got up on her feet and looked back to the stage to see Ninkasi with her hands out and a familiar green mist flowing into her. The woman's body began to grow and slowly morph with more magical energy, beginning to concentrate within her. "Gilda! Get Pinkie out of here!" Sunset snapped. "How? The entire place is locked down with cannibals!" "Find a way!" Sunset shouted as she dashed towards Ninkasi. She pushed past the ravenous mob, manifesting a shield on her left arm as they clawed at her body, teeth gnashing as they tried to rip her flesh off. The Witchblade's armor stretched all over her body, not bothering with the initial bikini armor stage, making it so that the possessed attendees could bite nothing but metal. Sunset managed to kick one of the attendees off a police officer, allowing him to get up off the ground and reach his pistol. Sunset finally reached the stage and hurtled herself forward. Ninkasi barely had time to react as Sunset pushed herself off the edge of the stage and flung herself up into the woman's face, interrupting her from siphoning any more power. "If it isn't the Witchblade." Ninkasi sneered. "You're no Sunset Shimmer, but you'll do." "I can see you haven't gotten smarter." Sunset scoffed. "You were lucky last time." Ninkasi grinned. "And now ....I no longer have to hide." Ninkasi roared as her form transformed into a large hulking figure with a large mouth within her stomach area. The second mouth gnashed and roared before Ninkasi reached in and, with a gluttonous chortle, ripped a mace out of it. The mace was bronze colored, with sharp blades along the center and a spike at the very end. Orange ooze dripped from it as it scraped against the floor. }}}Be careful of her mouth Sunset! If you are sucked in, it will rip your body to shreds! {{{ 'Fun. Any tips on how to beat her?' }}}Don't get hit.{{{ 'How helpful.' "I'm going to enjoy pummeling you into a pulp!" Ninkasi roared as she stormed forward, throwing her entire weight at Sunset as she swung her mace. Sunset lifted up her shield just in time, but she felt the full force slam into her. She was quickly knocked off the stage and stumbled onto the floor below. }}}You can't attack her head on!{{{ ' I am aware of that!' Sunset grit her teeth and rolled to the side as Ninkasi jumped towards Sunset. The woman slammed her mace into the floor, causing it to crack under the force. Sunset quickly jumped up on her feet and manifested two blades to stick out from her arms. She stabbed them into Ninkasi's sides, causing the woman to roar in anger. She was pushed off into the ground right into a possessed attendee who immediately bit her in the neck. Sunset let out a cry of pain before throwing the person off and slamming her fist into their face. Ninkasi marched towards her but was jumped by two possessed individuals, who she swatted away using her mace. Sunset stretched out her hands and shot out two plumes of fire at the woman, which caught her by surprise. Ninkasi raised her arms to block the flames before Sunset created two cannons on the top of her forearm. She aimed it at the Wendigo and fired two shells into their skull. The wendigo let out a roar of anger as she swung her mace violently in the area around her. Sunset jumped out of the way, but as she did, she noticed that the Wendigos arm was slowly healing from her flames. However, from the injuries that were still present, she could see how badly her attack had harmed the demon. "Miserable creature! You'll die screaming!" Ninkasi roared as the mouth in her stomach opened. The mouth let out a low rumble before it began to suck Sunset and everything around her toward sit. As objects entered the maw, Sunset saw them slowly disintegrate until they were nothing but dust. She managed to stop herself from entering the maw by gripping the jaws of the maw and pushing away from it. "There you are!" Ninkasi roared as she grabbed Sunset by the neck. The woman pushed sunset towards the gaping maw in her stomach. "Don't worry, I heard it's quick!" Sunset grit her teeth as she pushed away from Ninkasi's ravenous stomach. Her mind raced with ideas on how to get out of this situation until her thoughts were interrupted by a loud cry. "Hey ugly!" A familiar voice cried out. Sunset looked over to see Gilda rush towards them with her spear in hand. She stabbed the spear into Ninkasi's back, causing the woman to roar in pain. The woman relaxed her grip enough to give Sunset the opening to push away. She then focused fires as hot as she could manage into her hand before throwing the inferno into Ninkasi's stomach. The Wendigo screeched this time as it clawed at their stomach. Ninkasi flailed around as they desperately gripped their stomach. Their form began to noticeably shrink as their form began to dissolve, with energy beginning to dissipate out from their skin. "Sunset!" Pinkie cried out as she ran over towards her. "What are you still doing here?!" Sunset snapped. "The shield is covering the entire area like Bon Bon said." Gilda explained. "We're trapped with ugly here until Bon Bon decides to pull the stupid trap!" The girl shouted. Their conversation was then rudely interrupted as Spearhead jumped down from the stage with Celestia and Luna behind him. The two sisters were carrying a student each. When they ran past, Sunset saw that they were carrying Vinyl and Lyra, who both had bite marks all over them with torn flesh. "Lyra?" Sunset muttered before she was interrupted by a loud roar. She turned towards the stage to see Octavia, now completely frenzied with blood splattered over her mouth and fingers. The cellist leaped from the stage towards the crowd after Celestia. Sunset dashed forward in an attempt to intercept the girl but was suddenly grabbed by the shoulder. She was thrown into the ground and was barely able to get back to her senses to see a mace swinging down at her head. She rolled out of the way into the loving jaws of Ninkasis's stomach maw, which latched onto her right arm. Sunset let out a cry of pain as the sensation of her arm getting torn to shreds, burnt, and dissolved all occurred at once. "Sunset!" Gilda shouted as she dashed towards them, only to be blocked by several possessed attendees. She swung her spear around her, cutting a couple of them down, only to be swarmed by more. Sunset saw Pinkie dash through the group as Gilda swung her spear, knocking a couple down. "You've been a thorn in my side for far too long, Witchblade! Time to die!" Ninkasi laughed. "Get away from her you meanie!" Pinkie shouted as she broke a tray over Ninkasi's head. Ninkasi immediately stretched out and grabbed the girl by the throat. "A two-for-one deal!" Ninkasi laughed, her head now healed from Sunset's shot. The wendigo was noticeably smaller but still large enough to be a cause for concern. "It must be lucky day. Don't worry, I'll make sure to savor you nice and slow." }}}Sunset, my armor can only hold off the Wendigo's magic from dissolving your arm for so long!{{{ Sunset tried to pull her other arm out only to find it pinned between her side and the ground as Ninkasi pushed her down. With little choice left, she began to concentrate magic into the hand that was currently inside of Ninkasi's maw. She wasn't sure what would happen if she discharged a large inferno within the demon, but she didn't see any other option. Before she could discharge the flames, she noticed Pinkie was beginning to glow. "Let go of HER!" Pinkie shouted. She grabbed a fistful of frosting that was in her hair, which began to glow along with her fists. Pinkie threw the fist full of frosting down at the Wendigo, which detonated immediately upon contact, blowing a chunk of its head off along with its eyes. The demon let out a cry of pain and recoiled a bit. This allowed Sunset to free her other arm from under her. She then immediately blasted the Wendigo with fire from the Witchblade yet again. This time, it did more damage as it engulfed the demon, causing its skin to charr and peel off. "Witchblade!" The demon roared as its maw opened and began to inhale everything around it. Sunset created claws out from her hand and latched onto the ground to prevent herself from getting sucked in. She grabbed Pinkie and watched as tables, platters, and people were sucked into Ninkasi's maw. The demon began to grow in mass the more it consumed and was starting to return back to its original power. "Pinkie!" Sunset shouted from the entire commotion. Pinkie looked down at the Wendigo and then back at Sunset before nodding. She took a handful of frosting which began to glow a bright pink. "Open wide, you meanie!" Pinkie tossed the frosting down at the Wendigo's maw. A split second passed as the frosting entered the Wendigo's stomach. Sunset almost thought it didn't work before a large pink explosion erupted from the demon's maw. Ninkasi let out a fading cry as she stumbled back and fell onto the ground. Sunset fell to the ground as the suctioning halted. She let out a relieved sigh until she saw Ninkasi begin to get back up. Her skin began to lose its orange color and started to transform into a light pinkish color instead. "Does that monster ever stay down?" Gilda said as she ran by their side, her spear dripping with blood. Sunset started to stand up along with Ninkasi, whose expression was now wrathful. The woman's facial and bodily features were still twisted from the magic, but the maw in her stomach was now gone. She was gripping her stomach and was trembling. Sunset raised her hands up, ready for another round, until she looked into the woman's light purple eyes. "Berry?" Sunset asked as she lowered her fists. The woman froze as the two stared at each other. Sunset saw Berry Punch's body peek out from Ninkasi's as the demon's form slowly began to melt from the girl's body. Berry clenched her fist and took a step forward right before the floor began to shake. "This better be Bon Bon's doing!" Gilda shouted as she knocked one of the possessed attendees to the side with the blunt end of her spear. "Something isn't right." Sunset muttered as she felt magic began to dissipate from the floor. "This is an anti-magic sigil! Anyone with magic or affected by magic is about to disintegrate! }}}It is about to activate!{{{ 'Where?' Sunset quickly got her answer as a large light erupted from the floorboards. Instinctively, Sunset pushed her hands down and channeled magic through her body into her palms. She felt the force push up from the ground as she pushed the explosion back. "Gilda! Get out of here!" Sunset shouted. "The shield is still up!" Gilda exclaimed. Sunset looked over at Ninkasi, who was looking nervously down at the floorboards as well. In the corner of her eyes, she saw Aria holding Tora No Shi in a headlock, looking curiously at the light below her as Tora No Shi struggled in her grip. 'Does magic here work similar to the one in my world?' }}}Similar enough.{{{ 'Than I hope this works.' Sunset looked up at Pinkie and Gilda and shouted, "Get down!" as she forced down a counterspell. As her counterspell collided with the sigil, the two conflicting magics began to fight, sending shards of magic all over the area. The gym began to fall around her, and she could hear the magic walls around the room beginning to fall. However, as she pushed the counterspell down through the floorboards, she heard a distant hiss from the ground under her. She barely had time to process what was happening until the floor erupted, and everything went black. Witchblade Sunset let out a shaky cough when she finally woke up. A heavy weight pushed against her body which she pushed off. The sound of sirens echoed out in the air as soft snowflakes floated down from the sky. Sunset looked up in shock and saw that the gym's roof had been completely blown off. A cold breeze brushed by her, causing her to shiver, and when she looked down, she saw that her Witchblade form had been reduced to the bikini armor state. She slowly got up off the ground with a loud groan before looking around her surroundings. However, two figures lying in the rubble caught her attention. A pink-haired girl and a brown coat stuck out from the rubble. "Gilda. Pinkie." Sunset gasped as she stumbled forward. As she did, she heard loud crunching behind her. She turned around immediately only to see Aria, who was covered in soot, approaching her. "Hey Sunset. Have you seen an assassin around here?" Aria wiped her mouth. "I appear to have lost one." "Not yet." Sunset turned back towards Pinkie and Gilda and pulled the two out of the rubble. Pinkie had gashes all over her body and was bleeding profusely. There were several shrapnel embedded in her skin and torso. Gilda had large pieces of debris stabbed through her stomach. The girl's breathing was shallow and weak, and she had purple coloration around her wounds. [color=#be434]"We need to get them to a hospital or else they will both bleed out" }}}We can heal them both.{{{ "Really? How?" }}}Press your hand on them, and focus. Channel your magic and intent the same way you do with our powers.{{{ Sunset quickly pressed her hands onto Pinkie's body and focused her magic on the girl's body. She felt the girl began to heat up and watched as her wounds began to close. Sunset let out a sigh of relief before turning to Gilda. She ripped the debris that was stuck in the girl and pushed her magic through Gilda, the same way she did with Pinkie. "You should probably now focus on yourself." Aria pointed down at Sunset's body. Sunset, confused, looked down and saw what Aria was talking about. There was a huge chunk of her side missing, with her insides showing. "We need to get these two to safety first." Sunset gasped as she lifted Gilda up against a large broken table. Aria rolled her eyes but grabbed Pinkie and laid the girl . "You really need to start taking care of yourself better." "I'll be more careful when I need to." Sunset muttered, but she softly pressed her hand against her side and forced magic into her body. The warmth that flowed through her was weak, but it was enough. She felt the gash in her chest begin to heal. "Where is Berry Punch?" Sunset whispered. "Probably dead." Aria answered behind her. "That was an Anti-Magic bomb. Anything with magic or affected by it would immediately degrade. The more magic one has ..." "The more they are affected." Sunset finished. "I canceled it out though." "It wasn't a spell girl. It was a device created by SMILE to destroy magical creatures that they deemed a threat." Aria let out a sigh. "You're lucky it didn't backfire and create a bigger explosion." Aria shrugged her shoulder. "The Witchblade shielded you from most of the damage since it can't be destroyed, not so much for the Wendigo." "Bon Bon." Sunset hissed. "Yeah, she's much more ruthless than I thought." Aria snorted before she suddenly snapped her head to the side. }}}Sunset, to your right!{{{ Sunset turned just in time to see a mace hurtling through the air at her skull. She was able to raise her arm and manifest a shield to block the weapon but was hurtled through the air and into the dirt ground below her. She looked up to see Berry Punch angrily approaching her, wrath in her eyes, with parts of Ninkasi still dotting her body. "You just couldn't stop, could you?!" Berry roared as she grabbed her mace off the ground. "You couldn't just lay down and DIE!" "Aria, take Gilda and Pinkie to safety!" "You sure you can handle her?" Aria asked as she picked up Pinkie and Gilda off the ground, one under each arm. "She's an old friend, just go!" Before Sunset could see Aria leave, she was forced to roll to the side as Berry Punch slammed her mace into the ground. Berry Punch swung at Sunset's head, forcing her to duck down. Berry Punch let out a roar as she threw all her force into her next swing, which was directed right at Sunset's head. Sunset managed to duck under the swing, and as Berry was recovering, she locked her arm around the girl's arm and lifted her up. She then threw Berry Punch into the ground with a loud crack, causing the earth to shudder. Berry let out a low growl as she jumped back onto her feet, mace tightly in hand. She lashed out at Sunset, who simply just jumped out of the way of her wild swings. "I should have known it was you! Only you would continuously screw me over!" "Berry, it doesn't have to be like this!" "We both know that isn't true!" Berry roared as she swung wildly at Sunset. Sunset dodged out of the way of the girl's strikes and tried to concentrate her mind on manifesting a spear or a weapon but found it difficult to do so. She tried to maintain her distance from Berry but was slowly losing ground as the girl's strikes swung nearer to Sunset's head. 'I need a weapon now!' Sunset said mentally. }}}The explosion silenced part of my form! I need a moment!{{{ Sunset grit her teeth as she watches Berry Punch raise her mace up, aimed right down at her. She only had a shield and couldn't keep defending herself against Berry. She didn't want to hurt the girl, but what was in front of her was more akin to a feral animal than a person. As the mace swung down at her, Sunset felt a fire roar inside of her. Her instincts took over, and in a single motion, she jumped forward into Berry. She slammed her body into the girl's shoulder, interrupting the girl's attack. Then, as swift as the wind, she put all her force into her fist and struck Berry's face with all her might. The girl's head snapped back, and as it did, Sunset grabbed Berry by the arm and twisted the mace out of her hand. Berry stumbled back in an attempt to regain her balance. However, she never got the chance as Sunset gripped Berry's mace and, with a single swing, slammed it into the girl's skull. Berry fell backward with a loud cry and thud. She tried to sit up, only to see that Sunset was immediately on top of her, mace in hand. Sunset raised her arm up and struck downwards at Berry. Berry raised her hand up to cover her face and braced for the impact as the mace swung down at her. A loud crack echoed throughout the gym as Sunset slammed the mace down right onto its target. Berry let out a loud gasp before shakily looking over at the slab of concrete next to her head where Ninkasi's mace was now embedded. Sunset let out a shaky breath as she looked down at Berry, whose body had finally returned back to normal, as vestiges of the demon Ninkasi slowly faded away. "Why?" Sunset hissed. "You knew all along." Berry let out a weak laugh as she tried to sit up to no avail. "What do you think?" The girl scoffed. "You abandoned me. You abandoned all of us!" "You're the one who decided to be possessed by the Wendigo!" "Because of you!" Berry roared. "Did you think what would happen when you joined the Rainbooms?!" The girl snapped. "Did it ever cross your selfish brain what happened to your previous partners in crime?!" "I did it to change! To be better!" "You haven't changed a bit." Berry sneered as Sunset began to pace in front of the girl. "You're the same selfish, egotistical Sunset Shimmer before the Fall Formal." Sunset opened her mouth and looked for what to say but couldn't find anything from the top of her head. "I just wanted to make amends with the people I hurt. To be friends." "I was your friend!" Berry roared as she beat her chest in anger. "But you always thought yourself better than everyone else. A heart of a coward and a traitor!" "What we were doing was wrong!" "As if you care!" Berry scoffed. "You gave up everything for what? The illusion of friends? For people who would turn their backs on you at a moment's notice?!" "Because of you! Because of Anon-A-Miss!" "Anon-A-Miss was just an excuse for them to exclude you!" Berry roared. "They never considered you as one of them, and they never will!" Berry let out a weak chuckle. "People like us ....we can never change because, at the end of the day, we'll always be seen as a monster." "But it doesn't have to be this way." Sunset said as she knelt down in front of Berry. "Renounce the demon. I can help you, and we can help the school." Berry stared up at the sky above her through the hole in the ceiling. She let out a shaky sigh before shaking her head. "No. You forgot me like everyone else in this school." The girl said bitterly. "At least I die while being true to myself." Sunset stretched her hand over towards Berry. "'I won't forget you, not again." Sunset said softly. "Please Berry." Berry Punch eyed Sunset's hand, and the girl visibly hesitated. After a second passed, she brushed Sunset's hand aside and shakily sat up. Her body was back to her human form but noticeably more emaciated, as if she hadn't eaten in weeks. "No. I chose this for myself." Berry muttered. "Maybe you can change, but I can't." "I don't believe that." Sunset muttered. " Please, give it a chance, at least." Berry Punch let out a sigh as the girl looked away from Sunset out the window, which was shattered into tiny pieces. Distant sirens could be heard getting louder outside of the school building. "And get burned?" Berry muttered. "No, not again." Sunset lowered her hand somberly before Berry spoke again. "I can still feel the Wendigo within me, but she's dormant." Berry sighed. "After this, I'm pretty much screwed anyways." "What do you mean?" "This was my attempt to climb the ranks. After this, the other Wendigos will target me." Berry answered. "I can protect you, Berry," Sunset promised as she knelt down beside the girl. "I just need to know who Anon-A-Miss is. " "And why would I trust you of all people?" Berry spat out. "Do you really want to watch the city get ripped apart?" Sunset whispered. She saw the other girl hesitate, so she continued to push. "The Berry I knew was reckless and was thick-headed, but there was always a part of her that cared. I know that Berry is still there, somewhere." Berry Punch looked away, and after a couple of seconds of silence, she turned towards Sunset. The girl then opened her mouth to speak. Before a single word left her mouth, a loud gunshot echoed throughout the room. A bullet pierced the girl's skull, silencing her forever. Sunset tried to pull Berry Punch away, but she was too late as the girl's body lay limp against the ground. Sunset knelt there silently as she held Berry's body in her hands. As she tried to process the sudden death of Berry, she felt her instincts fire up. She ducked her head just in time as a blade swung right where her neck used to be. Sunset rolled away as the assailant stabbed their blade down where she was just sitting. "Witchblade, ever the thorn in my side." Tora No Shi hissed, who immediately snapped her gun up before rapidly firing her pistol. "You'll pay for that!" Sunset roared as she manifested a shield back on her arm to block the gunshots. "Get in line!" Tora No Shi laughed as she dashed forward and aimed her blade at Sunset's neck. Sunset managed to twist her body and throw her weight into swinging her shield into the force of the assassin's attack. "Who hired you?" Sunset said coldly as she pushed the assassin back. Tora No Shi scoffed and turned towards Berry Punch. "She did." The assassin shook her head mockingly. "However, couldn't take the chance of her spilling the details about Anon-A-Miss. Already screwed up this mission and didn't really want to get into any more trouble." Sunset pushed the assassin's blade away before kicking the woman back. Tora No Shi slid backward and raised her blade back up to strike. However, their fight was interrupted as voices approached them with flashlights shining down the hallway. Tora No Shi let out a small scoff before taking out a small circular device in her sword hand. "Till next time, Witchblade!" Tora No Shi roared. "Tora No Shi!" A voice from the hallway roared. Before Sunset could rush forward to capture the assassin, the woman threw the device down, causing a loud light to erupt from a sudden explosion. Sunset wasn't able to look away in time and was blinded. She continued forward but stumbled before falling over. When her vision returned, she looked up to see Tora No Shi quickly jumping out of the window. A group of police officers ran to block the assassin, only to be quickly cut down, blood splattering over the ground before they could even process what was going on. Sunset began to get up off the ground, only to be surrounded by cops, all aiming their weapons at her. "Freeze, CCPD!" One of them roared. }}}We need to go now!"{{{ Sunset felt a strong fire rage within her as she summoned out her metallic wings, using them to knock a couple of the officers back. The rest were so stunned that it gave her a window of opportunity to jump up through the hole in the gym room. Gunshots ran out behind her as she flew away with bullets flying past her. She made her way down the neighborhood, making sure to keep above the clouds so she wasn't spotted. As she flew over the clouds, she quickly spotted her apartment and made her way down into it. Sunset entered through her apartment window quietly and made her way toward her bed with shaky breaths. As she sat down, she felt a faint buzzing within her. }}}Your communication device is ringing.{{{ Sunset reached into her armor metallic pockets and took out her phone. She looked down and saw that it was none other than Bon Bon. With grit teeth, she answered the phone and lifted it up to her ear. "You survived, I see." Bon Bon said from the other side. "You set me up. You set us all up." "The demon is dead, isn't it?" Bon Bon scoffed. "And besides, the machine wasn't supposed to blow up. I suspect you had something to do with it." "You were willing to sacrifice everyone in that room. Everyone in that room was affected by the spell from Ninkasi." Sunset hissed. "Sacrifice Sunset. Hard choices need to be made. I chose what was best for the greater good." "Greater good for who?" "For everyone." Bon Bon growled from the other end of the phone. "I don't expect you to understand. I'll see you at school tomorrow." "You-" Sunset growled but wasn't able to get another word in as Bon Bon handed up the phone. Sunset threw her phone angrily on her couch before storming over toward her evidence board. She took off an old photo of her before the fall formal. It was when she was still working with Berry Punch along with her other partners. Back then, she never really considered the girl a friend but rather a business acquaintance. Despite their cold relationship, she never would have wished such a fate on the girl. She looked down at the photo and looked at the smiling faces of Snips, Snails, and Diamond Tiara. Sunset hadn't caught up with them after the fall formal. As she clenched her fist, a somber feeling washed over her as she thought back to what Berry Punch had said and reflected on the scorn Bon Bon looked at her with. For the first time in a long while, she reflected back and wondered if she truly had genuinely changed after all. After the fall formal, what happened to the people she left behind? What happened to the Sunset Shimmer she pushed away? Author's Note I am really not that happy with this arc. This was really difficult to wrap up with so many moving parts. After finishing this chapter, I reflected on my writing style and realized that I have the tendency to introduce way too many elements in the previous chapters and that I need to start resolving some of the plot points sooner or later. This chapter was really hard to write. While writing it, I realized how poorly I had planned it. The themes, the characters, and the entire plot just got tangled up and messy. It was hard to connect all of them in a satisfying way that didn't feel contrived. This went through so many changes, and no matter what I altered, I just wasn't happy with it. However, I decided to just wrap it up, finish up the arc, and get it out there. The reason is that even if the arc is imperfect, at least it exists, which is better than an unpublished perfect one. To smooth out the process in writing, though, I am going to try to outline a plan to continue the story and how to resolve it. It is going to take a while, but in order to avoid any more headaches, this is definitely a necessity. I am definitely going to edit some of these chapters in the next few months and try to clean up the plot as much as I can, but it might be a bit slow as I start school again. Thank you for being patient with me and being on this writing journey as I practice my writing. If you have any advice on how to efficiently plot a story, feel free to share it with me because heaven knows I need it. (Case 1-1: The Masked Woman): The WitchbladeDarkness was all Sunset could see. The black void of nothingness enveloped her as all her memories rushed through her mind. She was dying, she knew that to be the case. She wondered if her former friends would weep for her when she finally passed on. Where would she go into the afterlife, and what did it look like? Would she ever be able to see her friends again? The closest thing she knew to an afterlife …well more like an underworld, was the realm of Tartarus. It was a prison, where the worst creatures in Equestria would go to rot, imprisoned until they died. It was said that Tartarus was the lowest layer of the underworld, and whoever died in that prison, stayed there forever. However, the human universe was different, there was different gods and deities. There was the greek gods, the Egyptian gods, and the christans ones. Was she going to be judged by them, and her eternal fate placed into their hands? She wouldn’t blame them if she was sent to whatever their version of Tartarus was. She had done many things she wasn’t proud of during her life. Treating other ponies around her like dirt when she was Celestia’s student, running off into another world, tormenting and entire school. At first she thought she had repented, but after Anon-A-Miss, she wasn’t so sure anymore. Did anything she did matter, or was she going to suffer for his sins for all eternity? ‘Can an entire life of sin be erased by a couple good deeds?’ Sunset asked herself. There was no answer from the void she found herself floating in. She then remembered she at least saved Gilda and helped Pinkie get to safety …even though it was her who kind of dragged them into danger. Her obsession with finding Anon-A-Miss had not only endangered the life of other students, it had also gotten her killed. Though part of her wanted to find out who Anon-A-Miss to clear her name, another part was just tired of the account tearing the school apart. ‘At least I tried. I helped Gilda and Pinkie survive my massive fuck up. I hope they tell the cops and take them down …and in the end …they believed I wasn’t Anon-A-Miss.’ Sunset smiled. ‘And Pinkie considered me her friend …I at least …I did things my way …’ }}}Are you sure are fine with things the way they are?{{{ A red light began to glow, parting away the darkness, reaching out towards sunset. ‘What do you mean?’ }}}After seeing all of that, are you okay with just letting them go? Those creatures to terrorize the entire area to their own pleasure? They will return for your friends, they are not the ones to give up.{{{ ‘I’m dying …what can I do …? My magic is completely gone as well …’ }}}If it is power you need, I can grant it. Your spirit is strong, and I choose you to be my bearer.{{{ ‘You can help me save them?’ }}}I can give you the power to destroy anything that threatens you and your friends. But I must warn you, the power I grant you is both a blessing and a curse. Many have wielded me, all faced hardships unimaginable to many. Can you handle the burden and tread the line between light and darkness?{{{ ‘I am no stranger to darkness …but I have finally had a taste of the light. I can’t lose it, not when I just have grasped it.’ }}}Then reach out for me.{{{ Sunset reached out with her right hand towards the glowing red light, but fell a cold hand pull her from behind. She grit her teeth and pushed, struggling against the wails and cries behind her, the despair, the wrath, the sorrow, the pride. She struggled forwards, her fingers brushing the red light. Just as she touched it, the hands lost their grip wailing as they dissipated into the darkness. She grabbed the red light causing it to shine brighter than ever before. It wrapped around her arm, and she could feel it envelop her. Her skin stung as power flowed through her veins, causing a feeling of ecstasy, excitement, adrenaline and power to fill her body. The darkness around her screamed with rage as it was parted away by light. Sunset lifted her hand and roared, banishing the darkness and causing even the light to recoil before- Witchblade Sunset sat up suddenly, gasping for air, finding herself back in her home. Her heart pounded in her chest as sweat trickled down all over her body. She looked at the window and saw the sun’s rays sneaking through the cracks. Her heart rate slowed down as she realized she was home and a feeling of relief washed over her. She looked down at her body and saw that she was nude, lifting the blankets to confirm this. She usually only did so during the summer, but wore pajamas during the winter due to lacking the fur coat she enjoyed as a pony. She shakily got out of her bed with shaky legs and wiped her forehead. “What the hell was that dream?” She muttered to herself as she walked to her desk. She looked down and saw that all the photos and newspaper clippings she had placed upon it yesterday was still there. “My obsession with Anon-A-Miss is really getting to me.” She grumbled. Looking at her wooden board, she stared at all the photos she had pinned upon it. She shook her head and let out a heavy sigh before stumbling over towards her lizards terrarium who simply cocked its head to the side. “Hey there Ray. Just a bad dream.” She muttered as she reached in. She paused when she realized a silver bracelet with a single ruby gemstone sat wrapped around her wrist. “The hell? When did I get this?” She looked around for a latch but wasn’t able to find one. She tried to pull it off her hand, but it refused to get off her hand. “How did I even get this on?” She muttered to herself. “Forget that …when did I buy this?” Sunset gave it one last tug before giving up and flopping her hands down. She looked around her room for her phone, but couldn’t find it anywhere. So she turned her attention to her alarm clock which read ‘8:30 AM’. “Fuck! I need to be at school thirty minutes ago!” Sunset panicked as she ran down the stairs, skipping every other steps until she reached the ground. She ran towards her closet and took out a set of clothes before making a mad dash to the bathroom. She made a stop at her fridge and took out a wrapped tart full of jam before running in. She tossed her clothes onto the rack as she grabbed her toothbrush and toothpaste. She turned on the water, not caring it being freezing cold as she shakily started to brush her teeth. She spit out the toothpaste when she finished before opening up her tart and stuffing it in her face while water ran down her face. When she felt she was done eating, she turned off the water and grabbed a towel to wipe herself down. Halfway through she decided ‘fuck it’ and threw the towel to the side, leaving herself half-wet with water. She ran out of the bathroom slowly putting on her clothes while making her way towards the front door right before it was immediately kicked open. “Sunset!” Sunset immediately screamed as she covered herself with to the best she could with her shirt and pants that were in her hands. “What the hell?!” She shrieked, before seeing principal Celestia run in, causing her rage to suddenly dip. “Sunset!” Principal Celestia suddenly rushed forwards, nearly crushing Sunset in a tight embrace. The woman let out sobs and hiccuped while speaking. “I thought you were … ‘hic’ …you’re alive I … ‘sob’ …oh god …” The woman sniffed. Principal Celestia was a complete wreck. Her hair was disheveled, there were bags under her eyes which were also bloodshot. Her clothes were wrinkled and was covered in dirt and grime, her face was stained with tears. “Can’t breath … ‘gasp’ ribsss!” Sunset gasped. “Sorry.” Principal Celestia sobbed as she let go of Sunset. “I’m just so happy you’re okay!” “What happened?” Sunset asked as she put on her shirt. “What do you mean?” “Pinkie ran up to the police crying, saying that you were going off into danger to save a kidnapped girl in a warehouse.” Celestia started while wiping her eyes. “The police got organized as fast as possible and was prepared for hostage negotiations…but when they got there, there was a huge explosion burning the half the place down.” Celestia let out a sob. “Then Gilda was teleported at the police station, falling in a heap and started rambling about how you were stabbed and shot to death.” The older woman wiped her eyes agian. “She was covered in your blood a-and …the police found your severed burnt arm there …” Sunset looked down at her two hands and confirmed that they were in fact still there. “Pinkie fainted when Gilda said you were stabbed through the heart and used the last of your magic to teleport her there.” Celestia continued. “She was crying the last time I saw her.” “I remember.” Sunset whispered. “I was chasing a lead for Anon-A-Miss …got involved in some sort of gang and followed them to a warehouse.” She muttered. “They found your bike there …” Celestia sniffed. “When they went into the warehouse and found your arm …” The woman dabbed her eyes with her sleeves. “All that blood a-and …we all assumed the worst especially since the area had went up in flames.” “I’m okay …was Gilda and Pinkie safe at least?” Sunset asked as she placed her hands on Celestia’s shoulder after seeing the woman was close to tears again. Celestia nodded. “I was called after Pinkie reported the incident to the police since I was labeled as your guardian. When I got there, Gilda teleported out of nowhere and landed on top of a cop car.” She took in a deep breath, her shaking starting to slow down a bit and seemingly finally able to keep her composure. “They are both okay and are currently with their families.” Sunset let out a sigh of relief, a very heavy weight finally removed from her shoulders. When she cast the spell, she was bleeding out, and she was worried about messing it up and accidentally teleporting Gilda over a river or into a road. “Thank Faust.” Sunset sighed. “Right now though …everyone is worried about you, and we need to get it cleared. The police has labeled you missing, but assuming that you’re deceased.” Celestia explained. “Everyone thinks you’re dead, especially after Gilda yelling it out to everyone in the station.” “Y-yeah sure.” Sunset nodded as she started to feel a bit nervous. She didn’t like to be around police since she technically wasn’t from this world. “There is a bit of an issue …I don’t have any papers …” Celestia gave off a soft smile which made her tired face a small bit brighter. “I had that taken care of a long time ago. Don’t worry about it.” Sunset let out a sigh before looking down at the clothes in her hands she was currently using to cover herself. “Well …I’m currently getting dressed so could you close the door and wait on the couch?” She asked, trying her best to not make the situation any more awkward. Celestia pressed her lips and stood up straight. “Yes …of course. Sorry …I rushed in when I heard you scream.” The woman turned around towards the front door and closed it. Sunset walked back to the bathroom and shut it behind her. She put her shirt and pants to the side before staring into the mirror. “It wasn’t a dream …” She muttered before looking down at the bracelet around her wrist. “What are you?” She muttered. She took in a deep breath before placing her hand over her heart and saw that there wasn’t even a sign that she was stabbed. She moved her hand towards her stomach and didn’t even see a mark where the bullet had pierced her. Her hands started to shake. “What happened to me?” She whispered. Witchblade Sunset sat nervously in the police station as she waited for the detective to come in and question them. Celestia made sure to tell the sergeant that Sunset was okay when they arrived. The girl felt uncomfortable as the sergeant grabbed both her arms and looked down at them with confusion. The police sergeant then made a comment about lousy forensics before leading them into a room where they were told an officer would arrive for questioning. “Don’t worry Sunset.” Celestia tried to reassure the girl. “They are here to help.” Sunset gave a small smile and felt herself relax a little as Celestia placed a gentle hand upon her shoulder. The door next to them opened right after as the detective walked in. He was a young man who wore a navy blue coat with his badge pinned on the left side of his chest. He approached Sunset and Celestia with a hand outstretched. “Morning. Shining Armor. Chief of police of Canterlot City.” He shook Celestia’s and Sunset’s hand, before taking a seat down in front of them. “I understand that you went through something traumatic …” Shining Armor started. “But we do need you to recall what happened that night to the best of your ability so we can confirm what Pinkie and Gilda saw.” The chief explained. “Of course …but as chief of police here, why are you questioning us?” Sunset asked. “The Mystery Murder case is a huge headache for the entire Canterlot City police department.” Shining Armor clicked his tongue. “I would normally let the regular officers handle these cases but …events recently have forced my hand.” “Why is the Mystery Murder case also being brought into this?” Celestia asked. “Well Gilda was kidnapped and brought to an area where many murders happened.” Shining Armor rubbed his chin and took in a sharp breath between his teeth. “Then the warehouse blew up. So we made some assumption and we are assuming this is connected.” “That is a fair point.” Sunset nodded. For the next few minutes she detailed everything that happened. She had to mention Anon-A-Miss since it was what roped her into the mess in the first place and how she did some investigating on her own. She mentioned Thor, or from what she heard, ‘Thorax’ being Gilda’s friend who had a hand in it. Continuing on, she then mentioned Gluttony and the drones around him, but left out all the supernatural parts of it. She concluded with her rescue of Gilda, her supposed death, and ended with her waking up back home. Shining Armor nodded the entire way through, taking notes as she went through her story. When she finished, he closed his notebook and let out a exasperated sigh, an expression of concern upon his face. “That is quite the story.” Shining Armor hissed. “It is missing all the monsters and demons part though from Gilda …but I guess that is to be expected, she was hysterical.” Sunset nodded, feeling bad for the girl. “Well, we all went through high emotions that day.” She shifted in her seat, also feeling bad for lying to the chief of police. However, she didn’t believe the man would believe her if she included the parts about demons and monsters in her story. “This is a bit concerning though.” Shining Armor’s eyes began to shift around as he brought his hand to his mouth. “ChangeData has good public relations and lawyers. Even now I have confirmed they had some part to this …it’ll be hard to investigate them.” He sighed. “Well, I’m sure you’ll figure something out.” Sunset nodded. “Before you go can I see your wounds?” Shining asked. Sunset hesitated, but finally lifted up her shirt and stood up as Shining glanced at her chest and stomach. “May I?” The chief asked. Sunset nodded her hand so the chief placed his hand upon her heart before moving down to her stomach and exerted pressure upon it. “Do you feel anything?” He asked. Sunset shook her head causing the chief to sigh. He sat back down in his seat. “Are you sure you were shot and stabbed through the heart?” Sunset nodded. “Those are fatals wounds. The blood loss alone …” Shining Armor muttered. “We matched the dried blood on the ground to you …and it matched …yet there is no wound. And your arm ….” The chief pointed out the fact Sunset still had both her limbs. “I’m as confused as you are.” Sunset shrugged before she sat back down. Shining Armor let out a sigh. “I’ll have to tell our forensics team to check again.” The chief then leaned forwards and placed his hands upon the table. “Since you are a witness, you will be guarded by policemen in case your assailants decide to pay you a small visit. They probably don’t like witnesses.” Shining remarked. “However …I don’t like the fact you live alone.” “She can live with me!” Celestia offered. “That works …” Shining pressed his limps together and looked to hesitate. After a second of thinking, the man finally finished his thought. “Would you mind taking in Gilda Grimshaw as well?” “Doesn’t she have her own home?” Celestia questioned. Shining Armor nodded. “Yes …as part of her inheritance after both her parents died in a car crash.” The chief nodded. “She lives alone, and it can be dangerous for her. It took some convincing, but she agreed that if we found a suitable host family for her, she’ll go.” “I nearly forgot that her parents were dead …” Celestia paused. “I can take her in as well.” She gave a small smile. “Perfect!” Shining Armor clapped his hands. “This way we won’t spread ourselves thin.” “How long will I have to be watched?” Sunset asked. Shining Armor paused. “Depends how long these murderers are at large. And since you are a major suspect …” He took in a sharp inhale. “Listen …all I’m saying is to prepare for the long haul.” “Oh …” Sunset looked down. She had nothing against living with Celestia, she was a nice woman and she quite liked the woman. However, she also liked her home since it was the first place she lived after she moved out of the warehouse she was squatting in when she first appeared in Canterlot City. “Think of it as an extended sleepover.” Celestia smiled as she hugged Sunset close. “Pretend I am your mother.” The woman gave a small chuckle. “Sure thing …” Sunset couldn’t help but smile a little as well. Shining Armor smiled before he started to flip through his notebook, giving a small window of silence for Sunset to think. She felt a bit uncomfortable leaving her house to go live with her principal, and that wasn’t mentioning rooming with Gilda. Though she didn’t have much beef with the girl, she wasn’t sure how things would turn out. Last time they saw each other, Sunset was being skewered and Gilda was about to be cut down next. “One last thing …this Anon-A-Miss …” The chief started. Sunset lost her train of thought and turned her attention towards the chief. Her heart skipping a beat since it hoped that the chief and the police had something that could help her detect who the user was. “Yes …” Celestia nodded somberly. She wrung her hands, and looked down. “I’ve been trying my best to track them down and contain the spread but …it’s hard when we can’t confiscate mobile devices.” The principal muttered. “I filed a police report, but other than that …not much has happened.” The chief nodded and let out sigh. “I’ll make sure to let our cyber crime department know about this.” He turned to look at Sunset. “Especially since it might be tied to the Mystery Murders.” He then looked down at his notebook and flipped through some pages, his eyebrows beginning to furrow. “But why would murders commit such a petty crime …and against you?” Sunset exhaled through her nose loudly, understanding the chief confusion. “I wish I knew. I am the main target after all.” Shining Armor nodded yet again. “I understand it is frustrating …but I must ask you to drop your private investigation into the matter and let the police handle it now.” The chief muttered. “What? Why?” Sunset leaned forwards. “I’ve gotten so close!” “Because now Anon-A-Miss might also be a murderer. And we don’t need vigilantes complicating the issue further.” The chief explained. The man put his hands up in front of him. “Okay listen …I promise you we will handle it. It is part of the Mystery Murders now so we will get onto it as soon as possible.” Sunset threw her hands up in frustration and sat back in her chair. She couldn’t help but scowl at the idea of handing the investigation over especially since the police did jack shit to help before. A soft hand upon her shoulder quelled some of her frustration however as Celestia leaned towards her. “Let the police handle it now.” The principal pleaded. “It’s to keep you safe.” Sunset relented and nodded. “I’ll drop it.” She sighed. Shining Armor smiled and stood up from the desk. “Very well. Before we go …is there anything else you want to add?” He asked. Sunset shook her head. “I’ve already said everything. After I got stabbed, I blacked out …I have nothing else.” Shining Armor nodded before he reached into his pocket and took out two cards. “My number. If you see anything that can help with the investigation …call me okay?” He handed them to Sunset and Celestia. They both nodded. “We will be sure to do that mister Armor.” Celestia smiled. Shining nodded at the two women. “This is the biggest lead we have so far. I have a feeling this is bigger than anything we had expected before.” A determined expression appeared upon his face. “And now that we have this new lead …I’m sure we can put an end to these once and for all …don’t you agree?” Sunset couldn’t help but smile as some hope filled her body. “I sure do chief.” Witchblade Sunset and Celestia went back to her apartment, where they started to pack essentials for her extended stay with Celestia. She was going to miss her small apartment and the comfort it had provided throughout the years. She packed all her clothes, took her pet lizard Ray, and other essentials. Once everything was packed and loaded in, they drove back to Celestia’s house. Before she got into the car, Sunset remembered about her bike. “Hey …whatever happened to my bike?” She asked. Celestia pressed her lips and Sunset felt like she wasn’t going to like the answer. “I’m sorry Sunset …but the explosion …it was too close to it …” The principal clicked her tongue, but Sunset already knew the answer. “Could anything be salvaged …?” She covered her eyes. “It was turned into metal slag along with the other cars in the area.” Celestia tisked. “I had to drive Gilda back home since her car was there as well.” The principal shook her head as she took out a photo. It was Sunset’s bike, but completely melted and dented nearly beyond recognition. Sunset felt her heart sink as she took the photo from her principal and clenched it in her hands. “I’m sorry. It is also part of evidence so I couldn’t take it with me.” “I quite liked that bike.” Sunset murmured as she stared at the photo of her beloved motorcycle. It had saved her life that night, and now it was completely ruined …and wouldn’t be able to save her again. “Was the first one I had when I moved into this world.” “To be honest …I never liked it. Felt it was too dangerous for a young girl like you.” Celestia admitted. The woman placed a hand on Sunset’s shoulder. “I can get you a new car if you would like.” She gave a warm smile. Sunset couldn’t help but feel better, however she had to push Celestia’s hand off. “It’s alright. I don’t want to be too much of a burden on you …I’ll just take the bus.” She rubbed the back of her head right before she was pulled by Celestia so the two were looking face to face. “It isn’t a burden if it makes you happy.” Celestia smiled before pulling the girl towards her into an embrace. Sunset was a bit stunned by this action, but felt the older woman start to sob, so she gave her a small pat on the back. “I don’t want to lose you again …” Celestia sniffed. Sunset closed her eyes. “I’ll be fine Principal Celestia. I won’t leave okay?” She reassured the older woman. “I promise I won’t get into anymore danger.” She whispered. Celestia pulled herself away, her face wet with tears. She wiped her eyes before whispering, “I’m sorry …it’s just …” She started, but Sunset placed her hand on the woman’s shoulder. “Don’t apologize.” Sunset’s face fell as she realized what the woman must have went through, thinking that she was dead the entire time. “It’ll be okay.” She had driven off towards a warehouse that exploded that was connected to the mystery murders and left behind an arm at the crime scene. Celestia’s reaction was appropriate from anyone who thought their surrogate daughter had perished in an awful fate. “And my phone?” Sunset asked as well, dreading the answer. “I brought it there with me to take pictures.” Celestia shook her head. “The didn’t find anything else there that belonged to you.” She let out a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry. It most likely was destroyed in the fire.” Sunset closed her eyes. “Today is just not my day.” She muttered under her breath. “At least you are alive.” Susnet couldn’t help but smirk. “That is a silver lining.” Celestia nodded. “Now let’s get you to my home okay? We’ll pick up Gilda and help her before going to meet up with Pinkie.” The principal smiled. “She especially is understandably distraught about you.” Sunset smile in affirmation. “Okay Principal Celestia.” “Just call me Celestia.” Witchblade Nottingham knelt in the room, she could feel the licks of flames from the candles that surrounded her. There was enough, and they were close enough that it felt as if her skin was burning, but it remained intact. Years of enhancement made her skin immune to such wounds and injuries. However, as she knelt in the middle of the circle drawn on the ground, she could hear a husky voice from the darkness beyond the candle’s reach. “The witchblade cannot be forced into obedience, but it can be coerced.” The husky, low voice explained. “Using certain runes, it can be wrangled into place …into obedience.” The woman continued. “Do you understand what must be done?” Nottingham took in a deep breath and nodded. “I understand what must be done. I understand what my assignment is.” She shut her eyes as footsteps approached from behind her. She clenched her teeth as she felt the blade of the knife cut into her flesh, feeling as if the heat of a hundred fires were burning into their muscle. The blade cut into the skin of her back and she felt as it slowly moved down along her spine. It burned with pain as the heat of the blade exasperated it more, making her nerves erupt in pain, but she endured. The blade then moved to her arms, trailing down from her shoulder all the way to the back of her hand. There, it slowly carved a circular rune into the muscle. She let out a sigh of relief as she felt the knife retract. “Are you ready?” The voice consisting of Iron asked. Nottingham nodded. “I am Nottingham…the subjugator of witchblade. I am your fire …your blaze.” She opened her eyes. “I am ready.” She whispered before grasping the two katanas that laid in front of her. “Than rise you shall.” The woman in the shadows stepped forwards and towered above Nottingham. Her orange hair spilled out, covering her shoulder and complimented her orange suit and pants. The suits had purple cuffs around the wrists and ankles, and upon her hand was a golden chain. “Rise …Aria Blaze, and show this city why they fear the name ‘Nottingham’.” Aria Blaze rose and stood up in front of her master. She took off her mask and shook out her purple and cyan streaked hair. Her jade armor now covered by a golden suit with obsidian and purple accents with a white star in the middle. She lifted her blades up and held it in a way so that it extended up behind her arms. “I will not fail.” She swore. The Iron Lady of Canterlot City, Adagio Irons, smiled back. “I am sure of it.” She whispered. Witchblade After Sunset dropped her stuff at Celestia’s place and met with Luna, she and her Principal left to grab Gilda. Apparently the two lived together and shared their living expenses, and since they lived so close to CHS, it reduced the commute as well. When they arrived at Gilda’s home and knocked on the door, Sunset was nearly crushed by the girl. Then Gilda pulled away and gave Sunset a heavy bonk on the head, not hard enough where it hurt but where it got the point across. “That is what you get for playing hero …” Gilda sniffed before wiping her eyes. “I thought I had let a good person die again.” Sunset rubbed her head and looked at Gilda who was still sniffing. “A good person who saved some delinquent because she was just that short sighted and stubborn.” “I’m sorry.” Sunset sighed. “I didn’t want to …” Sunset was interrupted as she was embraced in another crushing hug. She let out a sigh before patting Gilda on the back as the girl let out all her trauma all over her shirt. After about a minute of crying, Gilda managed to calm down and let Sunset and Celestia into her home. Celestia let the two girl’s sit down while she went off to help grab the boxes Gilda had already packed. The older woman decided that it would be best for the two girls to talk out their feelings with each other. The girl’s home wasn’t that big, only having a single bedroom, a kitchen, a restroom and a small living room. The paint was peeling off the roof, the carpet had some stains on it …the bed wasn’t made, and the couch had some parts in disrepair. That also wasn’t mentioning how the ceiling looked to be on its way out, with all the cracks within it. After about a minute of awkwardness, Sunset finally broke the ice. “Why didn’t you just run?” She finally asked. “I was dead anyways and …well you never had love for me anyways.” Gilda rolled her eyes. “I can be stubborn, I can be thick headed and extremely hot tempered …but I'm not a psychopath.” She opened a can of beer and shakily took a small sip from the can. “And …god I thought we were going to die there.” She shook her head. Sunset smiled and placed a hand onto Gilda’s which was shaking badly. “I never leave anyone behind.” “Yeah …except yourself.” Gilda shook her head and pulled her hand out from Sunset’s. “You just …run into danger head first as if by impulse.” The girl shook her head. “Giant bully of the school, ‘let me challenge her’, three demon girls who aim to brainwash everyone, ‘let me run at them’, a conspiracy surrounding ‘Anon-A-Miss’, ‘hell yeah!” Gilda ranted as she crushed her can in her grip. “Well …it’s a defining feature.” Sunset smirked. She sat there awkwardly as she tried to think of a more appropriate response. She wanted to tell Gilda that she was a pony from another dimension who came to this world on a whim …that she was not a stranger to magic because of this …but that would probably blow the girl’s mind. “I …you …I also may have looked up to you …” Gilda finally managed out. “What?” Sunset chuckled. “I told you …you were a demon back then.” Gilda muttered. “But then you turned your life around so quickly …and the battle of the bands …” The girl closed her eyes. “You had much more impact than you thought.” The girl sighed. “Wow …” Sunset scoffed. “That is …a lot.” “You didn’t just inspire people …you were a lot of people’s hero …especially after the battle of the bands.” Gilda closed her eyes. “Which is why I was so disappointed when Anon-A-Miss appeared.” The girl looked down. “And now I know that I was wrong.” “Anon-A-Miss had everyone fooled.” Sunset tried by Gilda shook her head. “No, you don’t understand …” Gilda muttered. “I should have been better …should have done more to confirm you weren’t Anon-A-Miss …and when the truth was too much to deny …” Gilda closed her eyes. “To have you die …to have my …role model die …right after …all that. I didn’t want to allow that.” She admitted. Sunset looked up at Gilda, and saw that the girl was trying her best to hide her facial features from behind her hair. She thought back to the night, how Gilda was so determined to help her get out of the warehouse. The strange words of, ‘let me do something good for someone for once’ seemed to hint at something else, and Sunset felt a pang of curiosity leading her to ask. “Back at the warehouse …” Sunset started, getting the other girl’s attention. “When you were trying to get me out as well …what did you mean when you said that you wanted to do something good for someone else for once.” She grabbed a beer from the table. She knew that Celestia would disapprove, but she felt that the situation warranted a drink here. She took a sip as Gilda stared at the wall, seemingly focused somewhere else beyond it with her eyes glazed over. Sunset began to regret the question until Gilda finally answered. “Because those who help me either get killed …or hurt because of me.” Gilda finally whispered. She took a sip from her can. “Gallus, mom, dad…I’m sorry …” The girl choked. “I failed again.” “You don’t have to say if you don’t want.” Sunset shook her head. “I understand how much it hurts to bring up painful memories.” She closed her eyes before taking a drink from her beer. “No …you should know.” Gilda muttered. “I was being stubborn because it was the same situation.” She lifted her arm in front of her as if replaying the scene right there. “I was stuck in a horrible situation …my friend tells me to run …and you know the rest.” She flopped her hand down back and laid it on her knee. “Gallus saved you I presume?” Sunset asked. “And so did your parents?” Gilda nodded. “Gallus helped me escape a gang …my parents died while saving me from a robbery.” The girl’s head hung low and she looked to the side to hide her face, but Sunset could tell that she was trying her best to hide her tears. “They made you promise to be better?” Gilda nodded. “Yes …and that’s why I wanted to honor my promise.” Sunset ruffled her eyebrows. “But …you spoke as if they were still alive back at the cafe.” Her face scrunched up as she tried to decipher the situation in front of her. “That if they ever returned, you wouldn’t be able to look them in the eye.” “You wouldn’t believe it.” Gilda smirked. Sunset rolled her eyes. “Try me. We saw demons last night.” She scoffed. Gilda paused before nodding her head. “Alright. A couple months later …I got a note. It read … ‘I’m still alive’ on it.” Sunset failed to hide her shock so Gilda continued. “It was either a sick joke or …” The girl’s expression softened. “I saw his body but …I know he somehow managed to pull through. Gallus was always the sly one. If he wanted to …he could escape the grim reaper himself.” Sunset let out a sigh before leaning back in the couch, causing it to creak. “Thank you for telling me.” She closed her eyes. “I know it must’ve been hard.” “He’s still alive out there …” Gilda muttered. “He must be …” “But yet you act as if he isn’t.” Sunset raised an eyebrow. Gilda closed her eyes. “Hope …it’s small …but it’s all I have …it’s all anyone can have.” Sunset gave a small smile. “I’m sorry for making you worried.” She finally sighed. “It’s just that I dragged you into the mess …and didn’t want you to pay the price.” She lifted her beer can to her mouth and took another sip. “You throw your life too easily.” Gilda muttered. The girl tossed her hands in the air. “And right after figuring out who Anon-A-Miss was as well!” She gestured out into the air. “You would have died a villain! A cautionary tale.” “But you and Pinkie would have known though.” Sunset lifted a finger up. “You two would have known the truth.” She emphasized. “Nobody will believe a delinquent and an eccentric party planner.” Gilda snorted. She shook her head. “It was unfair.” “I don’t care.” Sunset finally laughed, causing Gilda to do a double take so she decided to elaborate. “I just wanted to know the truth and someone else to be with me.” She closed her eyes. “Even if it cost me my life …it would be enough.” She whispered. Gilda then replied by slapping her in the back of her head. “Don’t speak like that Shimmer!” Gilda snapped as Sunset rubbed her skull, angrily protesting at the abuse hurled at it. “Life is precious …don’t waste it!” She snapped. She then angrily finished the rest of her beer and tossed it towards a trash can …and missing. The girl got up from the couch and offered a hand towards Sunset. “Well …it’s obvious you have a knack of throwing yourself into danger …so you need some muscle.” Sunset raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” Gilda rolled her eyes. “Thought you were the smart one.” The girl let out a snort. “Every wannabe detective needs a partner, and you need someone to keep you out of danger.” She shrugged her shoulder. “I’m putting my hat in the ring.” Sunset was at a lost for words and stammered as Gilda kept her hand outstretched towards her. After a few seconds, she managed out a sentence. “You’ll be an outcast if you work with me …they’ll assume you’re also Anon-A-Miss.” Gilda shrugged. “My reputation is already in the shitter.” “We’ll be attacked. Any goodwill you have will disappear.” “It’s not about how you look. It’s about what you do.” “You’ll be in danger.” Sunset tried in one last ditch attempt. “We might be attacked …assulted even.” Gilda simply shrugged again. “I ain’t no stranger to danger …savvy?” She raised an eyebrow and placed her other hand upon her hips. Sunset realized that the girl wasn’t going to take ‘no’ for an answer. So she took the girl’s hand and got up from the couch and stood with her, face to face. “You’re crazy Gilda Grimshaw.” Sunset sighed. “No more crazy than you Sunset Shimmer.” Gilda smirked. Sunset couldn’t help but feel relief wash over her, though she didn’t want to admit it. It felt nice to have someone firmly in her corner, whoever it may be. “The chief of police asked me to drop my investigation and let the cops handle it though.” Sunset sighed, rubbing her arm. “So we won’t be doing much.” To that comment, Gilda simply raised an eyebrow. “Is that really going to stop you?” She asked before giving Sunset a good pat on the shoulder. “Come on girl …we got an Anon-A-Miss to catch.” Sunset nodded and looked Gilda in the eyes. “Then let’s go, partner.” Witchblade Sunset and Gilda packed the rest of the things from Gilda’s home and loaded it into Celestia’s car. They didn’t say much during the ride, but spoke about what was going to happen the next few weeks. They were going to stay with Celestia for a while and be protected by the police for a couple of weeks since she was a witness of an attempted murder. Though Sunset wanted to get back to school as soon as possible, Celestia advised that she skip school for a couple of days, at least a week, for her own safety. However, she suspected that she just wanted to make sure Sunset didn’t sneak off and do anything reckless. When they got back to Celestia’s home, they unpacked and took in Gilda’s belongings for the next couple of weeks, or how long they were going to stay with Celestia. After getting their stuff settled down, and nearly having an altercation between Gilda and Luna after one made a comment about the others hair, they went off to visit Pinkie’s home. On their way towards the Pie residence …Celestia went on about how distraught Pinkie was when she heard about her supposed death. Gilda rubbed the back of her head at that comment and looked the other way and muttered something about feeling bad for that. When they finally arrived at the Pie’s residence and rang the bell, Sunset saw that their home was guarded by two police cars. It made Sunset feel better knowing that her friend was in good hands, and that she was protected. They knocked on the front door and were greeted by Limestone Pie who just stared at Sunset. She had light gray skin and ash colored hair and green eyes. She wore a green jacket over her white shirt and blue shorts which revealed her toned muscles. “Sunset …?” She asked in her raspy voice before looking at Gilda. Her eyes narrowed before hissing, “You …” “Me.” Gilda rolled her eyes. “Let us skip the whole thing where we insult each other …because we both know I’ll win.” “Go fuck yourself.” Limestone hissed. “You’re the one who got Sunset hurt in the first place.” She snapped. This caused both Sunset and Celestia to recoil. Both of them knew where this was going, but before they could jump in, the two girls just continued. “Me?!” Gilda squawked. “Oh I’m so sorry I couldn’t help getting kidnapped. Next time when I am being chased by angry bug monsters I’ll just pack the bug spray.” She scowled. “I’m not talking about that!” Limestone snapped. “You just up and abandoned her in that warehouse!” The girl snapped. “Actually …” Sunset lifted a finger up but couldn’t get a word in as the two girls turned to her and shouted. “NOT NOW!” Before they then returned to their petty arguing. “Sunset teleported me out!” “Not if you helped her get out!” “How!” “By not faffing about and not being a crying little bitch!” Limestone snapped. “You know how devastated Pinkie was about hearing how her best friend died …and hearing it in graphic detail …how she cried herself to sleep!?” “At least she wasn’t there to see it!” Gilda roared. She walked forwards, pushing the girl into her own house with her finger up to her chest. “I saw Sunset get stabbed! I saw her get shot! I saw her fucking bleed out in front of me! You and Pinkie don’t understand what I WENT THROUGH YOU LITTLE BIT-!” Gilda didn’t get a word out before Celestia shouted in anger. “GIRL’S ENOUGH!” She finally snapped. The principal turned to Limestone. “You’re being unreasonable. Gilda had no control over being kidnapped!” She then turned towards Gilda. “Control your temper and stop instigating a fight!” The two girls she scolded looked to the side with a scowl, but also with shame on their faces. At that moment, everyone in the household managed their way over towards the front door to see what was going on. Sunset saw Igneous Rock walk out of his office, Cloudy Quartz came out of the kitchen wearing baking gloves, and Limestone’s three siblings came down from the stairs. “Sunset?” Pinkie gasped from behind Maud before rushing down the stairs with tears in her eyes. Sunset was nearly bowled over when Pinkie gave her a big bear hug with loud sobs. “You’re alive …you’re alive I can’t believe it!” The scene was sweet enough it managed to get a smile out from the stoic maud and the temperamental Limestone. Gilda smiled as well, but looked away as the two girls had their moment. Celestia pat Pinkie on the back as the girl continued to sob in Sunset’s chest, refusing to let go as Sunset’s lungs demanded room to breathe. Gilda seemed to cool down and rubbed the back of her head. “Hey Pinkie …” The girl muttered. Pinkie simply glared at the girl before stuffing her face back in Sunset’s chest. “I’m alive.” Sunset smiled. “The details of my deaths were …greatly exaggerated.” She snickered as Pinkie finally managed to pull herself away. The girl wiped her eyes and took in a deep gasp and hiccuped a bit. “Gilda ran into the police station screaming about how you died …about demons and a crazy ninja lady …” Pinkie sniffed before continuing. “Then she grabbed me by the shoulders with a crazy look on her face and shook me while screaming about how you were dead.” The girl muttered. “Ok to be fair I wasn’t in a good headspace. I just saw Sunset die …I was about to die …then I was teleported on top of a police car.” Gilda muttered. “I was under a lot of pressure in the warehouse.” Sunset scoffed. “I was just hoping to get you close to safety.” “Also the trip was extremely disorientating.” Gilda continued. “But as you can see …” Sunset gestured at her body. “I’m fine.” Pinkie let out a small laugh. “I can see that …” She sniffed. “Sunset Shimmer …” Igneous Pie stepped forward, pushing Gilda to the side, with a hand out. “I just wanted to thank you for saving my daughter.” He smiled as Sunset Shimmer shook his hand. Gilda looked as if she wanted to punch the man, but she held back her hand and just simply glared at Igneous. “It was my fault …” Sunset Shimmer muttered. “Those guys in the diner …I shouldn’t have riled them up.” “They were criminals and potentially murderers.” Igneous Pie snarked. “I saw the photos of the diner this morning and how it was nearly completely trashed. Also, there was the other customers who were chased out and their testimony on how they were threatened, bribed or chased out to isolate you and Pinkie.” The father scoffed. “From how I see it …you did my daughter and everyone here a favor.” “I saw the sketches from the witness about the gang members.” Cloudy Quartz suddenly jumped in. The woman smiled. “From what I heard …they also could be connected to the Mystery Murder case.” “Supposedly.” Igneous Pie reminded. “However it is likely from the way they isolated and attacked Sunset.” The man gestured towards Sunset. “It is a good thing she was there to help Pinkie and Gilda.” Sunset couldn’t help but blush a little from the praise. “You are too kind.” She looked over her shoulder at the cop cars behind her which surrounded the household. “Do you think they were come after Pinkie?” She asked. “She was a witness to a crime that potentially involves a large corporation that is associated with making people disappear.” Limestone let out an angry chortle. “Of course they will. We just have to show them that it’s not worth it.” A sly smile made its way onto her face. “We have a rifle, a pistol, and a shotgun.” Maud deadpanned. Sunset could swear she saw a semblance of a smile on the girl’s face, but if there was, it had disappeared as quickly as it appeared. “We’ll be safe.” Pinkie smiled. “If they come and attack …we’ll show them the Pie hospitality!” She cheerfully declared with her arms stretched up. Sunset smiled, happy that Pinkie’s cheerfulness was still there with the girl. “And by hospitality we mean lead.” Maud explained. Gilda snorted while Celestia cringed a little, obviously a bit uncomfortable at the eagerness for violence. Gilda brightened up a small bit though, her animosity morphing into what looked to be a hint of respect for the family. “Anyways …she did a miraculous job dispatching them all and saving not one …but two lives.” Igneous gave Sunset a warm smile, which was thanks enough for her. Sunset couldn’t help but blush. “Thanks you two.” “How did you escape?” Maud suddenly barged in. The girl had violet hair and green eyes and wore a gray sweater along with ashy pants. Her expression was stoic, but from the subtle tone of her voice, Sunset could detect a genuine curiosity. Sunset shrugged. “I blacked out. Magic?” Pinkie snorted and took in a deep breath. She then punched Sunset in the shoulder hard causing her to flinch. “That’s what you get for ditching me at the police station.” The pink haired girl pouted, but it couldn’t hide the small smile behind it. “I was already rescuing this one…” Sunset gestured towards Gilda who just rolled her eyes. “I didn’t want to keep track of two people.” She took a deep breath. “It was a really close call.” “Well I’m not letting you ditch me again.” Pinkie pouted. “You’re staying here where I can keep track of you.” She sniffed. “Pinkie …though your concern for Sunset is understandable …I’m sure she can take care of herself. Besides …I think she needs rest after everything that she went through.” Cloudy Quartz explained, placing a hand upon her daughter’s shoulder. Sunset gave a small smile. “When this is all over …I can come by and hang out okay. Then you can watch me all you want.” She gave Pinkie a small wink which caused her to blush. Gilda cleared her throat loudly and walked in between the two. “So it’s a date then?” Pinkie asked. “We were kind of told to remain with Celestia.” Gilda suddenly interjected. She turned towards Sunset. “Sorry …we can’t come over.” “Then maybe I can come over!” Pinkie suggested. “We can have a sleepover!” “We don't have room.” Gilda shrugged. “Not enough rooms in the house.” “She can stay in my room.” Sunset shrugged. “I don’t really mind.” Gilda growled as Pinkie bounced up and down with a big smile plastered on her face. “Is it a date then?!” Pinkie asked. Sunset smiled. “Yes. It is. Pinkie promise.” Everyone smiled at the sight of the two girl’s reconnecting. Gilda also couldn’t help but smile as well. With all of the trouble that was on everyone’s mind, nobody protested to a small bit of happiness in their life, especially with a friend. Well, almost everyone. Nobody noticed Maud’s clenched fist, which shook with a cold fury. Witchblade After the meeting with Pinkie, Sunset’s day went on without much more incident. She got to talk with Gilda and get the two to know each other a bit better. Luna came back from the Canterlot High School, a bit more grumpy than usual, and complaining about Anon-A-Miss. Apparently it got worse over break …and now every student seemed to be at each others throats. Sunset wondered if her investigation into Anon-A-Miss caused it to get worse …but Celestia reassured her that it had been going on for a while by that point. Gilda offered to go shake up some people in school that she knew about for information. Celestia expressed her disapproval, and so did Luna with less enthusiasm, and Sunset asked the girl to not put herself at risk. Gilda than grumbled about not be able to do things the easy way, but relented. At night time, Sunset was in her pajamas and had just put on her shirt when Gilda snuck up on her, and placed a cold hand upon her shoulder. She nearly jumped out of her skin. “You don’t have a scar …” Gilda muttered, looking down at Sunset’s chest. Sunset looked down and rubbed her sternum, and moved her hand to her heart. “I know it’s strange.” She muttered. Gilda looked down at her stomach and brushed her hand over the areas where Sunset was shot. “Does it hurt?” She asked softly, with a hint of concern in her eyes. Sunset shook her head. She looked down and saw scars on Gilda’s right hand. She grabbed the girl’s hand and lifted the sleeve up to see gnarly scars with the shape of lightning stretching from her hand all the way up to her elbow. “How did I not see this?” Sunset whispered. Her memory went back to the night when she saw Gilda put on the gauntlet. At that time she just thought it was a magical item that gave super strength, or did mind control. She didn’t know that it was going to shock the girl and give her such awful scars. It also didn’t help that she didn’t know what to do at that moment. “It’s not your fault.” Gilda pushed the sleeve down to cover it, but Sunset stopped her. “It is.” Sunset sighed. “I was there and saw them forcing you to put on the gauntlet. I should have done something sooner.” Guilt filled her as she replayed that moment in her mind. She froze, she should have done something but she froze, and if she didn’t …Gilda wouldn’t have had such an awful injury. “They would have torn you into shreds.” Gilda shrugged. She then pushed the sleeve down before lifting up her shirt revealing another on her stomach. It was large, jagged, and was the thickness of a small blade. “It isn’t the first one I have …and isn’t the last.” “Does it hurt?” Sunset asked, while rubbing her arm, disturbed at the cruel scar that sat upon Gilda’s body. “At first …but it recovered quickly. Even the doctors were confused.” Gilda scoffed. The girl took in a deep breath. “When I put the gauntlet on …it felt as if …it was connecting to me.” She looked Sunset in the eyes. “Call me crazy …but it felt as if it rejected me …like it was alive.” Sunset looked down at her right arm where the small silver bracelet was. The small jewel seemed to glow even from the minimal light that came from the lightbulb in Sunset’s room. She had nearly forgotten about it, and the memory of something crawling up her arm flashed in her mind. Gilda also took notice and took her hand before staring at the bracelet that sat upon it. “Never took you for one who wore jewelry.” Gilda muttered. Sunset grabbed her hand and rubbed the bracelet. “Neither did I.” Gilda nodded before turning around and leaning against the door frame of Sunset’s temporary room. “Well …just wanted to make sure you were okay …and to wish you good night.” She looked out into the hallway, and just leaned there, as if contemplating something. “I think back to that night …I wonder what happened to that gauntlet.” The girl sighed. Sunset looked nervously down at her right arm. “Yeah. So do I.” Gilda nodded. “I don’t know why but sometimes I just feel …” She paused with her mouth open. “I just wish I could see it one more time …I don’t know why.” Gilda muttered. The girl then shrugged it off. “Sorry about rambling. Good night Sunset. Holler if you need help.” The girl said before walking off towards the downstairs couch. “No worries.” Sunset called out, but slowly lowered her hand. She went over and closed her room door before sitting down onto her bed. She felt bad when it was revealed that Celestia only had one guest bedroom. Sunset offered to sleep on the couch, but Gilda stubbornly insisted that she be the one to do it, and despite protest, Gilda wouldn’t budge. Sunset looked down at her bracelet which seemed to glare at her. “What are you …?” Sunset muttered finally, as if expecting the bracelet to answer. She rolled her eyes and tried to tug the bracelet off her hand to no avail. “Come on …I don’t want to sleep with some trinket on!” She growled quietly so as to not disturb everyone else in the house. She banged it on her desk which caused a ripple to go through her, causing her to stumble back. }}}I am a being of great power. I would appreciate not being molested and smashed against cheap wooden desks.{{{ Sunset had to stifle a scream at the voice that spoke to her in her head. The red jewel on the bracelet began to glow, as if finally awakening. She stumbled back onto her bed while staring at the bracelet. “What are you?” She whispered. “I’ve never heard of magical talking artifacts before.” }}}I am no mere magical artifact. I was born from the meeting of two primordial forces. Created to maintain the balance of darkness and light. I am a being of great power and would appreciate not being delegated as some object.{{{ “You are saying a lot without saying much.” }}}I am called ....the witchblade! I choose wielders who are worthy of the power I grant to maintain balance in the universe. You are the most recent wielder and I have chosen you to be the next.{{{ Sunset nodded. “Okay. But when did you choose me? I don’t remember picking you up at all.” She questioned. }}}You do not remember because the power overwhelmed you at that time. It overwhelmed your mind. Let me remind you.{{{ Suddenly, Sunset’s mind was filled with memories of that night. She remembered the masked woman towering over her, the sword dangling over her skull, calling herself the Blade of Iron. She then remembered an eruption of flames as a woman covered in metallic armor walked out, burning everything in the surrounding area. She remembered the clash between the Blade of Iron as she and the woman clashed blades. There were screams as the masked woman was burned over and over again, but came out without any injuries. The monsters then clawed their way out of the canal and back into the room as the sound of sirens surrounded in the background. The woman then let out a roar, and fired a blast of fire at one of the monsters. There was an explosion which melted half of the warehouse, in which the woman walked out of …and she was … “Me!” Sunset exclaimed with a gasp, clasping her chest as the pain of the katana through her chest suddenly returned. “I fought off the Blade of Iron or whatever her name was.” }}}We fought her off. We are in a symbiotic relationship. It was only now that it was stable enough that communicating with you wouldn’t make you black out.{{{ “And they escaped! But where did the explosion come from?” She asked. }}}One of the demons reflected the flame and concentrated some of his power into it. It is very dangerous.{{{ “Do you think they will come after Pinkie?” Sunset questioned. “Will they come after me?” }}}It is likely they will come after the other girl. She is the only one who they know the location of. The other girl moved here and you are the wild card. However, I am unsure who would be the one to attack.{{{ “What do you mean?” }}}It could be the demons who attacked you or the woman we sparred with last night. If it is the latter …{{{ “She was able to deflect all my attacks last night.” Sunset muttered. She could feel her heart pumping just from remembering the fight. The clashing of blades, how every strike was deflected, and how the masked woman’s aim was true and always hit on target. “She was able to match our power just like that.” }}}We must proceed with caution. It would be a poor end to one with such a promising future.{{{ “I am no stranger to life threatening situations.” Sunset affirmed. She looked at her door and thought about getting Gilda into it as well, however, she didn’t want to drag the girl into anymore danger. Besides, she was just going to go check to ensure Pinkie Pie was okay. However, how she was going to get there was another issue. She couldn’t just ask Celestia for a ride, and Gilda would get suspicious and ask to come if she mentioned Pinkie Pie. It was also in the middle of the night, and she suspected nobody would be eager to drive all the way to the Pie family residence just for a checkup. She also didn’t want to sneak through the home and make her way halfway across town. }}}Go to the window.{{{ “What, why?” Sunset asked as she made her way to the window. She opened it up and was hit by the cold air quickly rushing in. She looked out at the snow below, and determined that it wasn’t thick enough to give her a soft landing. }}}Unleash my power. It is the only way to save your friend.{{{ Sunset looked down at her bracelet and hesitated. She remembered the last time it took over her, how destructive it was. However, Pinkie could be in danger, and she wasn’t going to wait around and let the girl be hurt. She let out a sigh as she realized that she would be running headlong into danger again, just like Gilda said she had a habit of doing, but it would be a cold day in hell for her to let her friend be in danger. “Tell me how.” She whispered. }}}Focus on me. Focus on the bracelet and with your mind reach out towards me.{{{ Sunset took in a deep breath as she did what was requested. She felt a tug of power on her wrist as the bracelet began to glow. The silver of the bracelet extended out and started to extend outwards with metallic blades up her arm. It shredded her clothes as it slowly covered her body, making its was across her shoulder blades towards her other arm. The armor covered her shoulder and parts of her arm before then working on her hands. Her forearms were completely covered, her hands became claws with spiked tips at the end. Her right hand had the gems upon it though, the red and yellow gems on her knuckles, with the blue one near her elbow. It then snaked downwards from her shoulders and barely covered her breasts and womanhood in what could only be described as bikini armor. The middle of her chest was completely open which only stopped at her sex in a V-shape. The armor wasn’t the only thing that changed about her. Her hair became more metallic, and the whites of her eyes became black, and the turquoise irises became brighter and more pronounced. Her muscles became more toned, her chest and abonomial muscles became thicker. Fire flowed through her veins, but it didn’t sting, rather it filled her with power. The cold of the air disappeared as her entire body felt warm and she could feel the power radiating out from her. “This is amazing!” She cackled. }}}Now jump out.{{{ “What?” Sunset’s excitement at the new flow of power through her body was suddenly stopped by that one statement. }}}I also give you enhanced strength. You can make it. If you want to make it to your friends house though, you’ll need a quicker way than just running there.{{{ “How am I supposed to get there fast enough?” }}}I am only limited by your imagination.{{{ “Really?” Sunset muttered before smiling. She put a foot on the windowsill and propelled herself forwards. Orange and red batwings extended out with metal lining the edges which stuck out into the sky. She willed herself forwards into the heavens and above the clouds, taking in the power and the freedom suddenly granted to her. She let out a laugh before diving down and quickly speeding through the air towards the Pie residence. She circled around a tower and weaved in between buildings and past a window. A kid pointed outside for his parents to see the strange winged lady flying in the air, but neither wanted to get up from bed. Sunset wanted to test the extend of her ability to fly more, but she focused and made her way as quickly as she could to the Pie residence. The snow fell over her, and the cold winter air enveloped her, but they both seemed to recoil when they got close. She felt as if she was fire and power. “Hang on Pinkie. I’m coming.” Sunset promised as she sped through the winter night. Witchblade Pinkie slept soundly in her room and would normally be dreaming of ice cream and cats along with ice cream cats. However, after the warehouse explosion, she could only dream of Sunset, missing an arm, burnt with gouged out eyes and rotting skin pointing an accusatory finger at her. The figure would then ask Pinkie why the girl took away her smile before opening her mouth revealing it was cut downwards in a frown shape with rotting teeth in the middle. However, her sleep was stopped abruptly by a thump outside. She jerked upwards and looked around the room. Ever since the incident at the cafe, she had been very jumpy about potential monsters hiding around the corner. That thing with orange skin at the cafe stayed in her mind, she could never shake it off. After confirming that the monster was nowhere to be seen, she reached over and grabbed her phone. Maybe the sound had come from her phone and her head dreamt it to be different? She scrolled through the messages where she had spoken with the other friends in their friend group. [Applejack: I’m sure Gilda was just rambling nonsense. Sunset can handle hereslf …she’ll be fine.] [RainbowDash: If there is one thing I know for sure about Sunset it’s that she’s a fighter. She’ll be fine.] [Rarity: I saw on the news …despite everything …I hope she is unharmed.] [FlutterShy: Oh god …and after all the mean things we said …I hope she is alright.] Pinkie let out a sigh as she placed her phone to the side. Despite everything, they still believed that Sunset was Anon-A-Miss. Despite Sunset nearly getting herself killed trying to find the true culprit, people still thought it was a ruse, or she had some shady gang dealings. The girl understood Sunset’s frustration, and why she was snapping at the ‘Thor’ guy in the cafe. Before her mind could wander any further, she heard gunfire in the street. She sat up in her bed, her heart pumping as the sounds of screaming and the slicing of flesh echoed. She could hear the cries of bystanders and a loud crash and the screeching of car tires. Pinkie breathed heavily as she got out of bed and rushed towards the hall. She nearly ran into Limestone and Maud who seemed to also be making their way out. Their father and mother was also there, Igneous holding his trusty rifle. “Did you guys hear that?” Pinkie asked, panicked. “Stay in your room Pinkie.” Igneous ordered her. “But …” “I said go!” Her father ordered, panicked. Pinkie nodded and looked at her siblings and saw that Limestone had her trusty revolver, and Maud, her trust shotgun. Before Pinkie could duck back into her room, there was a sudden knock on the door right before the doorbell was run. That seemed to confuse everyone and even Marble Pie stuck her head out from behind the door she was hiding. Limestone snapped and ushered Marble to go back and hide in their room. A second past as the air stood still. “Do you think they left?” Pinkie whispered. The door was then kicked open flying across the living room and into the kitchen. A masked woman stepped through, a blade in her hand that was red with blood. In her other hand, she dragged a police officer by the cuff of his shirt. She tossed the police officer to the side and into the television in the living room. “Shit!” Limestone exclaimed as she aimed her revolver at the intruder. The masked woman, with a swift motion, caught the bullet in midair. Pinkie ducked back in her room as the entire Pie family began to unload all their weapons into the intruder, but the masked woman continued up the stairs. She caught all the bullets in her hand while blocking the others with her sword. She reached the top of the stairwell and loomed over the family. Their father quickly reloaded his rifle, but was kicked to the side by the masked woman with indifference. Maud came at the woman with a hammer, but was grabbed by the neck and thrown down the stairs. Cloudy reached down to help her husband, but kicked away and knocked out as well. Limestone threw a punch but it was caught easily. Limestone was forced down, and watched as the masked woman lifted a clenched fist over her, before opening it up and let go of the bullets she had caught and dumped it onto her chest. In a rare moment for the abrasive girl, she showed an expression of panic. “Who are you?” Limestone trembled as the masked woman leaned forwards. “I am nobody.” Was all the masked woman said before grabbing the girl by the throat. Limestone was slammed into the wall repeatedly with loud cracks, until her eyes rolled into the back of her head. She slumped onto the ground as the masked woman let the girl go. She slowly approached Pinkie’s room. In the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Marble, the girl shivering in the corner as she observed the the masked woman. The masked woman sheathed her sword and turned away from the girl before walking into Pinkie’s room. The pink haired girl was backed up in the very back with a knife in her hands. “D-don’t move or else!” The girl shook as her heart pounded in her chest. Tears flowed from her eyes as the masked woman continued towards her. “I-I mean it …get away!” She shouted as she continued to sob. The masked woman stood in front of her now. Pinkie thrusted the knife forwards into the masked woman’s chest, only for it to be stopped by two fingers. The masked woman tossed the blade away and grabbed Pinkie who struggled in the woman’s iron grasp. She cried out as she was carried down the stairs and out the home. She sobbed as she was thrown onto the snow covered ground in front of seven insect-like humanoid creatures with black carapaces and green eyes. One of them bent forwards and stared at Pinkie whose tears made it hard for her to see. She sniffed and sat up with her fists raised up. “I-I’m not scared of you!” She snapped, throwing a punch that was easily dodged. The humanoid insect simply nodded before looking up at the masked woman. “The wendigos won’t be happy we aren’t killing her.” “They already let their presence be known with their overfeeding. Besides …she is the bait …and a dead bait is useless is it not?” The masked woman asked. The humanoid insect shrugged. “I guess so. But if we killed her …the girl would come for revenge anyhow.” “And lose our leverage?” The masked woman let out a chuckle. “Typical changelings. Thinking one step ahead and with your stomach.” The changeling sneered. “Well at least I’m not a lapdog.” It then turned around. “So where is the witchblade?!” It gestured at the burning police cars in front of the Pie residence. The flames flickered up into the sky as the officers laid there in the snow, many of them bleeding out into the snow. “Is it too scared to come out!? It sure was too scared at the warehouse!” The changeling taunted. “Do you think it’s a good idea to taunt the superweapon who can disintegrate us?” Another changeling asked. “I mean …you saw what happened at the warehouse. It’s power turned half of it into slag!” “What is she going to do?!” The first changeling scoffed. “Kill us?” Pinkie was too scared to speak or move as the masked woman stood over her. However, a figure in the sky caught her attention, and she turned to see it quickly moving towards her. It had orange wings and metallic wings while being covered in what looked to be bikini armor. Before she could say anything, she felt herself swept off her feet and flown away from the wreckage and into the crowd that was forming around the scene. She looked up to see a woman with firey and metallic hair with black eyes which had turquoise irises. The woman than quickly flew over the scene as quickly as she had arrived with a scowl on her face. The masked woman smiled. She had waited for so long to fight a worthy opponent, and if this was anything like the warehouse, it would be worth her time. She never knew some lowly reporter would get the power of the witchblade. It would be hers shortly, but before that, it was going to be a fight to remember, she was sure of that. She never killed anyone who wasn’t her target, and this one was looking to be a good one. “You know changeling …that is a damn good idea.” The witchblade scowled as the other changelings began to cower. “Now which one wants to start?” Author's Note Hello there Hi. Theses are my Author Notes. If you are coming here from Michael Ravencrofts Witchblade story, you may have noticed some similarities. Well, I liked his introduction to Witchblade so much I decided to "borrow" some parts of his story. "No officer, I wasn't doing a robbery. It was simply a meme." All joking aside, I wanted to skip to the action as fast as possible and didn't know where to take the story. I really hope you'll forgive my lack of creativity for this chapter. Next chapter and the next arc will cover the first Witchblade story arc. The story of Nottingham, Irons and Sarah is the first issue to the best of my knowledge. I love Nottingham and Kenneth Irons and wanted to adapt them into the fanfic. The issue is which characters to use? The human version of the dazzlings are rarely used, and I barely see them in different stories. So in this arc, what better than to use them. Don't worry, the pony versions of the dazzlings will appear, but later and I have something planned for them as well. But for now, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. I appreciate any writing tips and plot critiques.
Origins: Rebirth (EDITED)Snow drifted gently down from the dark clouds above Canterlot City. It signaled the previous year's death and the beginning of a new one. Yet, when Sunset looked out of her window, the only thing she could think of was how bleak the year was looking already. Winter break was about to end in a couple of days, and the semester was about to begin with her ostracized by the entire school. Sunset Shimmer got up from her desk and patted down her clothes as Ray lounged on her desk under the lamp, enjoying the heat. She looked upon the surface at all the documents, photos, and recordings that she had gathered from Anon-A-Miss. She had taken everything the account posted and used it as evidence to slowly pinpoint who the user could be, but to no avail. Whoever was using the account was too slippery, too cunning for her to catch. That was to be expected since it all started after the battle of the bands. It started off simply by posting photos of her friends at the slumber party, revealing all their embarrassing secrets. They then, of course, immediately assumed it was her and assumed that she was the one who was trying to embarrass them. If that was not bad enough, Anon-A-Miss began to systematically tear her social life apart. First, it started by posting other students' secrets and photos, things that many did not want to be revealed. She started to be despised and harassed by other students, who all thought it to be her posting it, that she had reverted back to her old ways yet again. But there were some who were not yet convinced that she was the culprit, especially since it didn’t match what she would have done back in her queen bitch days. Anon-A-Miss must have realized this because then they started to blackmail others. Blackmail them to do Sunset favors she never asked for or to sabotage other students around and close to her. Force a kid to trip a girl who spat at her, force a student to sabotage another one's homework, or embarrass a kid who picked on her. Whoever this person was, they were an expert at framing others, and they had her in their crosshairs, and this was enough to convince nearly all that Sunset had returned to her manipulative ways. The positive side to this was that she stopped being tripped, beaten up, or bruised. Instead, everyone avoided her like the plague, scared of her yet again, or in the worst cases, hated her. Sunset grabbed a photo from her desk and over towards the wall where she hung a board. There she organized all her evidence and tried to connect them to see if she could get a coherent picture on who the culprit was. However, the more she looked into it, the more messy it became. She pinned the photo onto the board and connected it to the area near SugarCube Corner. The area had become a hotspot for incidents from Anon-A-Miss, but also the most recent strings of murders. Nobody knew who the murderers were, how many there was, or how they were committing their crimes. She took out her phone and opened up MyStable to the top post being about the most recent murder which happened in the warehouse district, the body being mutilated to the point where the police refused to comment about the state of the body, leaving it to imagination. However, that didn’t stop internet sleuths to dig up what happened. The post read that the body looked like it had been fried from the inside out, but the rest of the body looked untouched. There was burnt tissue found in the flesh of the victim that seemed to show that they were electrified from the inside out. The photo the person found showed the corpse which sat on the ground, staring up into the air, lifeless. The police called cases like these ‘The Mystery Murders’, and now another victim had been added to the pile. It had been going after the fall formal, and it had slowly ramped up. At first, it was thought to be one murderer, but as more started to appear, doubts began to sink in, with the most recent being the most puzzling. People were dying in stranger ways, with the remains becoming more mutilated. The intake in strange deaths had been going on for a couple of weeks now, and Sunset made sure to be careful whenever she walked outside. She always stayed with the crowd, or near crowded places, and ensured she always took a good look around before heading into shady areas. Her investigation or Anon-A-Miss started to bring her to areas that run down, or falling apart, so she had to take extra caution. Before adding the murder to her board, she scrolled down to the most recent post from Anon-A-Miss. The entire comment section had her name mentioned directly or in passing. Telling her to leave school, cussing her out, or outright threats. Though which ones were from her school and who weren’t was worrying since Anon-A-Miss thought that screwing over a school wasn’t enough. She clicked the Anon-A-Miss profile picture, which was a silhouette of her on a red and yellow background. It wasn’t very subtle, it was basically declaring to the world that she was in fact Anon-A-Miss. Sunset scrolled down to the most recent posting and compared it to the previous postings. She narrowed her eyes and noticed that each one had something similar about them, a pattern. Some of them had SugarCubeCorner in the background, or what looked to be a silhouette of it there. She was suspicious that the poster hung around the area, but she couldn’t pinpoint the time and place of the photo or video. The most recent posting had the store clearly in the backdrop, but there was a small detail. Her five friends, Rarity, Pinkie, Applejack, RainbowDash, and Fluttershy, were all there. They were looking glum, and not touching their strawberry ice cream smoothie. She remembered walking past that store the day before and seeing them there. She remembered looking at them through the window and reaching out towards them with shaky hands, and tears in her eyes. Her heart and her mind pushed her to go towards them, to beg with them once more, to tell them that she was not Anon-A-Miss, to do it on her knees if she had to. But she knew deep inside that it would not work. So she turned around and left, failing to repress tears of a friendship she once enjoyed. However, that meant the post and the photo was recent, which meant that she had a lead on the user. Sunset felt her heart race with excitement and hope filled her body for it was the first lead in weeks. She analyzed the post and saw that it was about Octavia who was exiting the store with a huge ice cream cone. ‘Wow what a distinguished lady, stuffing her face like a slob. What would mother say?’ Was the caption. Sunset quickly rushed over toward her drawer and took out her winter clothes, putting them on as quickly as possible. A thick blue sweater, and a pair of white earmuffs was enough for her, but she took a red and gold scarf just in case. She was about to leave but remembered her small lizard. She walked back and took Ray off the desk much to its annoyance, and placed him into his terrarium. “Sorry Ray, but I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Sunset reassured the small lizard before taking out his small jar of food. She filled her lizard's food bowl and gave Ray a small kiss on the forehead. “I’ll be safe.” Sunset then headed out of her front door and stepped into the frigid air outside, feeling prepared for whatever the world was going to throw at her. Witchblade Sunset stood in front of the diner, looking into it. It wasn’t the food that she was interested in, but she was hoping she could catch sight of her friends there. She just wanted to see them, even if she couldn’t sit there amongst them. Today, however, she had no such luck, only catching sight of Pinkie Pie, who worked in the bakery. She wondered if she should walk in and buy something just to cheer up her old friend. However, Pinkie Pie was looking down in the dumps, her head hung low, accompanied by a sad frown. However, her hair always remained poofy, and Sunset noticed that whenever a customer walked in, Pinkie would change expression quickly. “Secret Stealer!” Sunset took in a sharp breath and closed her eyes as she tried to erase that memory. Despite every muscle in her body pushing her to be enraged at her five former friends, to lash out, to curse their every muscle. But her heart reminded her of what she did before Twilight Sparkle came into the world. How she tormented the entire school, how she threatened them all, and made their lives a living hell. How could she blame them for holding a grudge, for having it in their hearts, festering like a disease. However, sometimes, anger would overtake her, and she would imagine, and indulge herself in dark fantasies. Shoving them down, scolding them, inflicting every humiliation, every pain she had endured during Anon-A-Miss before cutting them out forever. Yet, on the other hand, she understood why they did what they did. They were young, they were brash, and she had wronged them before. It tore her apart, and it was painful, and sometimes she would fall asleep in a mix of sorrow and rage. “Scones for sale! Anyone?! Come on!” A familiar voice caught Sunset’s ears. She turned around and saw none other than Gilda. The girl was selling scones at the side of the road at a food stand, with many people passing by her, ignoring her. Sunset got off her motorcycle and walked up to the scone stand to look up at the bully standing over her. Gilda was wearing a thick brown jacket with white frills in the interior which paired well with her copper-coloured trousers and gold gloves. Unfortunately, it was soured by the scowl that was always on the girl's face. “Oh, it’s you. What do you want, dweeb?” Gilda sneered as she flicked a bottle containing maple syrup. “Never thought the big bad bully of Canterlot High would be here selling scones,” Sunset smirked. “Yeah yeah, put it on Anon-A-Miss. See if I care.” Gilda scowled. Sunset clenched her teeth at that accusation. No matter how many times she heard that same accusation, it never failed to get under her skin. The sheer injustice of the entire situation caused her muscles and veins to tighten as she tried suppress snapping at the rough girl. “I was just making an observation,” Sunset said curtly. “Well are you going to stare or are you going to buy a scone?” Gilda leered. “Because if you aren’t buying fuck off.” “Matter of fact I will buy one.” Sunset took out her wallet and procured a ten dollar bill. “How much?” “Usually it’s five dollars,” Gilda smirked. “For you it’s ten.” “Go fuck yourself. You’re lucky I am hungry.” Sunset handed her bill over, and Gilda served a scone in response. “Why don’t you go to SugarCube Corner like everyone else?” Gilda raised an eyebrow. Sunset looked over her shoulder and saw Pinkie Pie at the counter, serving a customer. The man had light green skin covered by a stiff black jacket with the initials ‘Q.C.’ written on it. His hair had spikes down the middle and a long one at his forehead, which was somehow adorable, probably due to how tiny it was. Pinke gave a big smile, but Sunset could tell that it was much smaller, and had less energy behind it. The last thing Pinkie probably wanted was to see Sunset again, after the entire Anon-A-Miss debacle. “Word of advice. Get better friends.” Gilda remarked out of nowhere. Sunset looked back at the bully, stunned at the sudden comment. Gilda was looking down at the snow, scratching her white hair. “Friends should be there through thick and thin. They should help you when you are at your lowest …” Gilda looked off at the distance, her head supported by her hands. “Through thick and thin until the end of time.” Sunset looked down at her scone, and closed her eyes. She considered the girl’s advice, and a part of her told her to follow it. To ditch the five girls she had once called family, to move on, and become a loner. Maybe she could transfer schools, and find another group to call family. But the other side told her that she wouldn’t be a good friend then because they stuck together, even when things went bad, because if they were friends, they would eventually reconcile. “I can’t give up on them.” Sunset looked up at Gilda, and saw the girl look up in surprise. “They did abandon me, but …if I abandon them …then I am no better am I.” “Were you ever friends in the first place?” Gilda raised an eyebrow. “Because you were quite a piece of work in the past. If that Twilight Sparkle didn’t help you, they would never have gotten close to you.” Sunset felt tear start to form in her eyes. Her chest started to get heavy. She didn’t want to believe it, but the words weighed heavily on her. She couldn’t blame Gilda, anyone with two eyes could make the same assumption, but she just didn’t want to believe it. “I’ll think about it.” Sunset turned around. “I’m not Anon-A-Miss Gilda. I’ll find them, and bring them to justice.” She started to walk off. “Good luck with your sales.” Sunset walked away from the scone stand and over towards a small alleyway. She took a quick look around her surroundings to make sure nobody was looking before walking in. She walked in carefully and scanne the environment to ensure nobody was hiding in the shadows, a skill she unfortunately had to learn during her time on the streets. When she confirmed the cost was clear, she approached a dumpster, and parted some trash to the side. In the walls of the building she currently stood in between, had a lot of cracks in it. Cracks big enough to slip a small hidden camera within it. It had enough batter to last a couple of days, and she last changed it two days ago. Sunset took a bite of her scone, nearly spitting it out since it tasted so stale and bland. However, she was hungry and soldiered through it, trying her best to think of grass and hay. She took the hidden camera out of its little hiding hole and shakily removed the chip. She plugged an adaptor into her phone before inserting the chip. She watched as her phone started to download its contents, letting out a sigh of relief when the ‘complete’ sign appeared. Sunset then scrolled through her downloads and located the video before looking through it. The first few hours of recording was completely useless. It was just snow and random people. However, she knew the timeframe when her fri …former friends was in SugarCube Corner. She fastforwarded the video to that time frame and watched closely for Octavia. She passed by the time when she walked by SugarCube Corner and a bit more until the gray skinned girl finally came into view. “There you are,” Sunset muttered before fastforwarding the video when Octavia was leaving the store. “Now who could be close enough, and be at that angle to take that damn photo.” Sunset scowled. She slowly fast forwarded the video until Octavia was relatively in position of when the photo was taken. She zoomed in at the surroundings, looking for anything out of place. She squinted, trying to get any detail of where the person could be. ‘Okay Sunset. Angles, we are looking for the right angle.’ Sunset muttered to herself. She moved the focus to where the person taking the photo could reasonably be. However, it focused on where Gilda’s stand was. That couldn’t be right though, since even though Gilda was a bully, she was like a bull. She sees red and charges into it, destroying everything without much thought or reason. Sunset squinted a bit more and noticed that there was a man leaning against the stand, who looked to be talking with Gilda. She leaned forwards and noticed that his hand was placed at an odd angle. A place where someone could potentially be hiding a camera. It wasn’t much but it was a lead, and it didn’t help the mans face was obscured, and blurred. So the only way she could identify him was to … “Who is this man?!” Sunset shoved her phone up to Gilda’s face. Gilda was not amused, and stared bluntly at Sunset. “I wish I could tell, but his face is so smudged that he resembles more of a pixel than anything else.” She looked back at the camera. “Probably still looks better than you.” “A man came and talked with you yesterday. Two P.M.” Sunset pointed at the camera. “Who is he?” She demanded. “I can’t keep track of all the customers that come here.” Gilda scoffed. Sunset than rewinded the video, and fast forwarded, revealing that the man was the only one to come buy anything from the girl in the entire three days. “I’m sure you can jog your memory based on the fact that he was the only one who bought your shitty scones.” Sunset took another bite of the scone she bought and forced it down her throat. “For a shitty scone, you look to be fine with it.” “I’m fine with it because I have to.” Sunset pointed at the video again. “Tell me who he is!” “Or what?” Gilda leaned forwards. “Post something on Anon-A-Miss?” “I’m not fucking ANON-A-MISS?!” Sunset roared, getting the attention of the crowd. She took in deep breaths before taking out her wallet and ruffling through her cash. She took twenty dollars and placed it on the counter. “How much?” “For what?” “To tell me who this man is?” Sunset scowled as she took another bite of the scone. Gilda grimaced and pushed the money back towards Sunset. “It’s nobody.” “Thirty dollars.” “It’s just some random person. Why are you so obsessed with him?” Gilda scoffed. “Fifty dollars.” “I’m sure you can find someone in your life. You’re pretty, plenty of boys would like you.” Gilda smirked, but Sunset could see that it was half-hearted. “One hundred dollars.” “Do you even have a hundred dollars?” “What do you want?!” Sunset finally exclaimed before taking a deep breath. She breathed in and out multiple times, the exercise Princess Celestia had taught her to do when she was feeling exasperated. “Listen. I really need to know who this man it …please.” She begged. Gilda rolled her eyes. “Why do you even want to know who this guy is?” “Because he is my only lead to finding out who Anon-A-Miss is.” Gilda paused as if processing what Sunset was saying. “Why do you think so?” “Because he was here when the last post from Anon-A-Miss was taken,” Sunset explained. “Please Gilda …I am not Anon-A-Miss.” She covered her face with her hands before parting her hair. Gilda scoffed but finally let out a heavy sigh. “Listen. The man is one of the only friends I have in this city okay? He likes his privacy, is very shy, and is a good dude.” She finally explained. “I promised him I won’t give him trouble, and he is really good at listening to others.” Sunset pushed herself off the scone stand. “I just want to ask him a few questions. I won’t shake him down.” She promised. “You just missed him. He passed by you, and you didn’t even notice.” Gilda finally mumbled. “What?” Sunset looked around. “But how?” “He is really good at blending into the crowds. He always comes with a group.” Gilda smirked as she walked over towards SugarCube Corner. “Best I introduce you to him, so he doesn’t bolt. He’s real skittish.” The girl explained. “I’ll be sure to be careful,” Sunset assured as she followed closely behind Gilda. “Why did you make Anon-A-Miss?” Gilda stopped at the front of SugarCube Corner. Sunset did a double-take as Gilda turned around to take a good look at the girl. “It’s only bringing you pain and misery, why not just stop?” “I am not Anon-A-Miss. Those days are past me. In fact, I am trying to hunt them down.” Sunset scowled, feeling a bit insulted. She spent months trying her best to claw her way to become a better person only for it to be thrown in her face. “Why do you people keep on insisting it’s me?” “Because the whole blackmail and making an example of others was something you did before.” Gilda shrugged her shoulders. “It just seemed to fit your style.” Sunset clenched her teeth. “I promise you, I wouldn’t make my profile picture a silhouette of myself with my colour scheme.” She scoffed. “I wouldn’t make it so obvious, and I’d be more subtle with my blackmail.” This caused the other girl to rub her chin, to ponder Sunset’s words. She considered it before, but when the blackmail started it seemed to validate all suspicions against Sunset, however even that seemed a bit to blatant and obvious. “That is true …” Was all Gilda managed to say. “I am curious about one thing though …” Sunset muttered as she looked to the side. “About what?” Gilda raised an eyebrow. “When I was being beaten up before the blackmail incident …why didn’t you join in.” Sunset looked up at Gilda, staring the girl in the eyes. “Why did you hold back?” Gilda let out a heavy sigh and turned back to the door of SugarCube Corner. “I’m trying to work an honest job. I’m reaching adulthood, I can’t make any more mistakes.” The girl closed her eyes. “I’m already on probation, any wrong move and I have a one-way ticket to jail. That is why I am selling Scones.” The girl then looked into the cafe in front of the two, but her focus was somewhere else. “I made a promise …to try to straighten my life …and it’ll be a cold day in hell when I break it.” Gilda said softly before her expression turned somber. “If I somehow met him again, I wouldn’t be able to look him in the eye if I broke my promise.” “Oh …I didn’t know.” Sunset mumbled. “Also I may have gotten some inspiration from you.” Gilda muttered sheepishly. Sunset raised an eyebrow and Gilda caught it. “We were two of the worst of the school back then weren’t we …?” The girl continued. Sunset nodded and gave a small smile. “Yeah …” She whispered. “We sure were.” “But then you turned your life and attitude around.” Gilda explained before snapping her fingers. “Just like that …you just shifted gears …” The girl shook her head. “I may have been the worst but you were a demon back then.” Gilda chuckled. Sunset rolled her eyes. “Wow …thanks.” She said in monotone. Gilda shrugged. “It was true.” Her stance than shifted, her mouth opening as she tried to figure out how she was feeling and how to place it into words. “But you were able to change …and I still had that promise to the kid so I thought …fuck it.” Gilda let out a small sigh. “I was inspired a bit.” She let out a small chuckle. “So was Diamond Tiara …” She closed her eyes. “Why did you throw it away? You changing your way had inspired a lot of people and now so much has been cast into doubt.” “I’m not Anon-A-Miss.” Sunset wiped her eyes and sniffed. “I keep on telling everyone.” “I hope so.” Gilda nodded before she turned towards Sunset. “Word of advice …” Gilda sighed. “Stop Anon-A-Miss.” She raised a hand up, stopping Sunset before she could get a word out. “Whether or not you are or not her …put an end to it.” Sunset took in a deep breath and looked Gilda in the eyes. “I promise.” She raised an eyebrow. “Princesses honor. Is that sufficient?” Gilda let out a sharp huff and bobbed her head a bit. “Yeah. Yeah I guess it is.” She gave Sunset a small pat on the back. “I’m going to be honest though, liked you a bit better in your queen bitch phase before Anon-A-Miss and its underhandedness. Made you look badass.” “Really?” Sunset raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure it isn’t just stockholm syndrome?” “I don’t know what that means, but yeah sure.” Gilda shrugged before she opened the door to the cafe. Gilda and Sunset walked in causing Pinkie Pie to jump in front of the counter with a small bounce. Sunset paused as she took a good look at Pinkie Pie. She was wearing her usual purple skirt which had balloons sewn on it, blue shoes, and a blue shirt with a big heart in the middle. Seeing her so happy made her smile a bit, but the memory of her being a ‘secret stealer’ weighed on her mind. It made her grimace, and caused her chest to grow heavy, as she held back her emotions to the best she could. She was going to solve this, but if she did, she would have to keep her cool. “Evening Pinkie.” Gilda greeted. “Hey there Gilda? What can I get y-?” Pinkie Pie paused as she finally noticed Sunset. “Sunset?” Pinkie’s smile disappear, only to be replaced by a sad frown. She looked close to tears which broke Sunset’s heart. “I’ll be here only for a minute Pinkie.” Sunset looked down at the ground. “Then I will be out of your hair.” Sunset turned to walk into the corner of the store where the tables were, but felt a hand grasp her by the shoulder. “Sunset wait.” Sunset turned to see Pinkie behind her, with a sorrowful expression, eyes full of regret. “I’m …c-can we talk?” She asked. Sunset stood there, not sure what to say before her mouth decided for her. “Yeah sure …but I’m in a bit of a hurry here.” She looked at Gilda who just shrugged her shoulders and leaned against the counter. She took some candy out of the dispenser and started munching on it. There was a second of silence. “I-I am not …you see …I d-don’t want to stay …mad at you.” Pinkie finally admitted, her shoulder sagging. Sunset held back tears and tried to force her face from falling and letting out weeks of sadness onto the girl. “I know that …there is no excuse …” Pinkie looked to the side. “I should have been there for you …we all should have.” “What do you mean?” Sunset asked. “Friends …support each other. They also stop each other from making mistakes, from taking the wrong path …and to pull each other from dark places.” Pinkie muttered as she rubbed her neck. “I just …wish I was there for you.” Sunset shook her head. “I don’t blame you.” Thought that part was kind of a lie. After saving everyone at the battle of the bands, she hoped that the students …that her friends would trust her from then on. However, after Anon-A-Miss, they threw her to the wolves. “All the evidence pointed to me.” Sunset shrugged. “And I had a history of doing such things.” She looked down at the ground, noticing the nice tilework of the store. “Humans desire simple answers to simple problems …” Before she could finish, Pinkie grasped her hands and squeezed it. “But we’re your friends!” Pinkie sobbed. “We should have been better.” The pink skinned girl wiped her eyes. “I was so angry at you …like everyone else. I wanted someone to blame, someone easy because …because we needed a culprit …a villain.” Pinkie Pie’s face continued to fall as tears streamed from her eyes, faster than she could wipe them. “But after a while, I couldn’t bear it anymore …living in constant rage and anger …I began to think.” “You’re only eighteen.” Sunset smiled. “It’s part of the deal.” She pat Pinkie on the shoulder. “But I should have been better. I’m the element of laughter for crying out loud!” Pinkie grasped Sunset’s sleeves. “I should have noticed how miserable you were earlier …how you took all of their hate …and just accepted it.” The girl scrunched up her face. “I should have been better.” “It’s okay.” Sunset tried to use an upbeat tone, but her voice betrayed her true feelings as it trembled. Her eyes began to water and fill with tears of relief and joy that someone finally was speaking to her in a non-accusatory tone. “It’s not!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Anon-A-Miss has made your life hell and what the other kids do to you …” She began, pausing in the middle. The graffiti, the fights, the jeering and the accusations …she remembered them all. She remembered stewing in her rage, and in her anger, while at the same time feeling as if the entire world was crushing her. She wanted anyone to believe she wasn’t Anon-A-Miss, and though Gilda was the first, she would have preferred her closest friends to be the ones backing her. She could take anything the world threw at her, as long as her friends had her back, but without them, she felt like reeds in a tornado. “I believe you.” Pinkie finally muttered. “You aren’t Anon-A-Miss.” “But what about the blackmail, the sabotage? They all benefited me.” “Benefits you never wanted. Sabotage you never would have done to others, and harm you never would have wished upon others.” Pinkie sobbed. “I thought about it, and I am sure. I know you, and you aren’t that person.” Sunset felt close to tears, finally hearing that one of five finally believed her. Weeks of chasing leads, looking for clues to Anon-A-Miss didn’t matter compared to hearing Pinkie declare her trust of Sunset. She hugged Pinkie, causing the girl to recoil in surprise, but after a second, she returned the gesture. Sunset let out a sob as tears finally began to fall, pressure falling off her shoulders and chests. They were like that for a good minute before Gilda approached them, and pried them apart. “I like that all the feelings are out …but we are on a schedule.” She reminded as Pinkie wiped her tears. Sunset did the same and nodded. “Yes. The lead.” “I don’t think Thor is Anon-A-Miss; he is too skittish.” Gilda explained. Sunset nodded again in affirmation. “I am not saying that I believe you, but if he is then …” Gilda paused and pat Sunset on her shoulder. “Listen, I am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt ….” Sunset did a small double-take. “Why?” Gilda rubbed the back of her head. “Well, you just sounded so genuine …and you didn’t try to blackmail me to help… and after what Pinkie said …” She let out a small raspberry. “Okay …I may be a bit dense …but it made sense.” She put a finger up in front of her. “One chance though.” “Thank you Gilda. I won’t waste it.” Sunset hugged Gilda, though the tall girl pushed Sunset off. “I don’t do emotions very well.” Gilda blushed. “Let’s just question Thor and get it over with.” She remarked. “Thor? Is he your lead?” Pinkie asked Sunset as they both followed Gilda to a table in the back of the cafe. “Yes. The closest I have had these past few week.” Sunset admitted. “I have been tracking every post, placed cameras all over the city in hotspots.” She let out a heavy sigh. “They were very careful to not stuck around in an area for too long. Guess they got sloppy.” Gilda, Sunset, and Pinkie stopped in front of a table which sat a lime skinned man with a black jacket. The initals ‘Q.C.’ was engraved on the back of the man’s very stiff jacket. “Can I help you?” The man asked before he noticed Gilda. “Gilda? What is this about?” He asked. “These two have some questions for you.” Gilda put her hands out before the man could get a word of protest out. “They won’t harm you. I trust them. I know you want to stay out of trouble, and you will, I promise.” The burly girl reassured. She gestured at the man. “Thor is all yours.” Sunset nodded and sat in front of Thor. The man was visibly sweating, and his eyes were shaking, jittering as it moved from one location to another. He shakily grabbed his fork and took a bite out from his cup of mint ice cream. His feet were tapping, Sunset could hear his heart pounding from the other side of the table, and she could swear he could even be hyperventilating. “Thor. I have some questions for you.” Sunset put on her most serious face, and glared at the man. “I don’t have to answer anything!” Thor quickly declared. “I want my rights! I plead the fifth.” The man looked away towards another table. “This isn’t a court. I just want answers.” Sunset put a stern face on before she pushed her phone towards the man. She moved the screen to the Anon-A-Miss profile and pointed at the post. “You recognize anything?” Thor simply averted his eyes, finding the floor to suddenly be of great interest to him. “No. I recognize nothing.” Gilda looked over at Sunset’s phone at the post being pointed at. “Hold on. That’s Octavia.” She muttered before grabbing Sunset’s phone. She looked out the window at her scone stand and pointed at it. “At that angle …” Gilda started. “The angle is from your scone stand.” Sunset glared at Thor. “And was at that exact time.” “It could be Gilda!” Thor suddenly exclaimed. Gilda had an expression of shock and betrayal before slamming Sunset’s phone on the table. “Are you serious?” She whispered dangerously. Thor whimpered as he cowered and slunk deeper into his seat. “Answers …now. And the truth!” Sunset shouted. “Yeah! What she said!” Pinkie huffed before crossing her arms. Thor was now hyperventilating as his entire body shook. “Okay, okay …I’ll tell you everything just …” He looked around the cafe. Everyone else followed and noticed that the scene they were causing was getting the attention of the other patrons. "I just take the photos; who Anon-A-Miss is, you'll have to find out by yourself." Sunset followed his gaze and noticed that one of the patrons had a huge tub of ice cream sitting in front of him. If that wasn’t strange enough, the woman’s attire consisted of a thick brown coat over an orange sweater which did little to hide her massive belly. Thick black sunglasses covered her eyes which she adjusted constantly as if they were uncomfortable. What was even stranger were the other patrons of the diner. Sunset realized that some of them had the same attire as Thor. Black jackets and lime-colored skin accompanied by spiky haircuts, and they were all staring at her. Thor leaned forward and put his mouth close to Sunset’s ear. “Listen, miss …” “Shimmer.” Sunset felt a chill up her spine as one of the black jacket patrons got up from their table. They made their way to another table with a thick wad of cash. They dumped the cash onto the table of a couple who were also eating and started speaking. She couldn’t tell what the man was saying, but his look-alikes started to get up as well and walk towards other tables. “Shimmer. Listen. Some things are bigger than you.” Thor explained. “Just drop this case, and walk away.” The man gave a half-hearted smile. “I have a bad feeling about this.” Gilda muttered as she also started to notice what was happening around them. Sunset turned back to Thor and clenched her teeth. “Just tell me what is your connection with Anon-A-Miss.” Thor let out a sigh. “Listen …I’m sorry but …” The man was suddenly interrupted as an orange sweater woman shoved Pinkie and Gilda to the side. The patron grabbed Thor and tossed him aside before taking his place in the seat. “Apologies for that.” The orange-sweetened woman said, brushing and wiping her hands on her jacket. Sunset noticed that the other patrons of the cafe were being led out by the other back-jacketed individuals. They all looked to be part of a gang, a very strange one, but one nonetheless. “Now. To business.” The woman wiped her mouth. “I hear you are looking into Anon-A-Miss.” She took in a sharp inhale of air. “Impressive you got this far. Most people give up at this point.” “Most people?” Sunset raised an eyebrow as she saw Gilda and Pinkie shifting uncomfortably as they were slowly surrounded by the strange woman’s friends. One of them had flipped the ‘open’ sign to ‘closed’ on the shop door and had cut the lights. “After Anon-A-Miss started to spread to encompass the entire city’s residents …it got the attention of some reporters.” The woman let out a small chuckle. “Brave bastards as well …like you.” Gilda and Pinkie were looking around the cafe, probably for a place to escape. The severity of the situation was not lost on them. It was seven against the three of them, they had little chance of getting out of this unscathed. “What do you want?” Sunset growled as she glared at the woman. The woman gestured for one of her men to come up. She was handed a briefcase which looked to be very heavy. She placed the briefcase onto the table and opened it up revealing it to be filled to the brim with cash. “I’ll give you ten million dollars to forget about Anon-A-Miss and leave it all behind.” The woman raised an eyebrow. “Pretty good deal is it not?” She asked. Sunset sat there, as she looked at the pile of cash in front of her. The woman closed the briefcase and pushed it towards her. When she first came to this world, she didn’t have much money to her name, and this amount of money was almost unthinkable. To raise enough money to live in the human world, she had to work all sorts of odd jobs, get in touch with many shady people, and claw her way up. Ten million dollars was a luxury when she lived in an abandoned warehouse, forced to siphon off electricity from the main power grid. She tidied up the area pretty well and actually started to call it home until it was bought by a company called ChangeData. Then she had to move because people started to poke around. She grasped the briefcase and flipped it up on its side. There was a logo etched on it which read ‘ChangeData’ with a green symbol right next to it. “Sunset …” Pinkie started. Sunset turned to face the girl, and saw an expression of concern and fear upon her face. “I don’t know what is going on …I never have with all this magic stuff …but I trust you.” Pinkie shook. “Also don’t think about going back on the promise.” The woman in front of Sunset chuckled. “We will know, and if you do, you’ll wish you were dead.” She sneered. Sunset closed her eyes and let out a sigh. She felt fear and doubt about what she was about to do. She was surrounded and given a way out with a hefty reward, it was tempting, and that amount of money could make her life a bit more bearable even with all the ostracization at school. “ChangeData huh?” Sunset finally asked. “Yeah? What about it?” “You work together?” She questioned. “So what?” The woman took Thor’s ice cream and started to take bites from it. “You have beef with them or something?” “The same ChangeData who owns the warehouse where the murders happened near?” Sunset asked. “You know, the one from today.” The woman seemed to freeze right there in her seat. “It’s a very popular company.” She sneered. “What about it?” Sunset shrugged. “Well that is true. But you basically confirmed you work for Anon-A-Miss and that you silence reporters.” She narrowed her eyes. “Also I have my phone perpetually on record any time I leave the house.” She raised an eyebrow. “I think that’ll be enough for the cops.” In hindsight, suddenly piecing things together right in front of the person who may be the culprit didn’t seem to be a good idea. She looked to the side and saw every one of the men surrounding them tense up, all with scowl’s on their faces. “Pity …” The woman started, getting up from her seat. Unfortunately she didn’t get to finish that sentence before Sunset beat her over the head with the very heavy briefcase. It was heavy enough to put a dent in her head, causing blood and bone to erupt from the wound. The woman howled in pain as Gilda turned around and punched one of the men behind her. One of the men grappled Pinkie, but Sunset jumped to the rescue and punched him in the face with a loud crack. His face broke open causing him to recoil in pain, letting Pinkie go. “Sunset! Behind you!” Pinkie exclaimed as one of the men came at Sunset with a knife. She ducked under the knife strike before grabbing the arm and twisting it around. Gilda kicked another goon in the jaw, causing him to fall to the ground. Thor had bolted out of the cafe and down the street as far from the cafe as possible. “Thorax you piece of shit!” One of the men shouted. “Come back here and help-” Was all the man got out before Pinkie grabbed a tray and broke it over his head. “Useless pieces of garbage!” Sunset heard the orange sweatered woman roar. She looked over to see her sitting back up, the wound on her head slowly beginning to regrow. “Kill them!” She roared as she started to shift. Her clothing ripped off, revealing her light purple skin which extended out like a warm, her large stomach opening up to reveal a large maw in the middle. The woman’s face became warped, with a single hateful eye in the middle, and a mouth with sharp teeth, which dripped green liquid, like the maw in his stomach. “Everyone run!” Sunset shouted as she got the knife out from the other man’s grip before stabbing him in the knee. The two last men stood there, seemingly unsure what to do as before Sunset tossed the briefcase into one of them. The last man just stood there, his jaw agape as Sunset, Gilda, and Pinkie ran out of the cafe. “Gilda, do you have a car?!” Sunset asked. “Yes, why?” “Can you draw some of them away? Also get the cops!” Sunset snapped. “No need to tell me twice!” Gilda ran off towards a parking lot down the sidewalk. “Pinkie, do you have a ride?!” “No …my siblings are too busy, and my parents are probably asleep by now.” Pinkie explained quickly as the black-jacket men stumbled out of the cafe. “Then quickly, get on the back of my bike!” Sunset ran towards her orange bike, her heart pounding. It was parked in a nearby parking lot which wasn’t far, but far enough that it was a length run. She looked over her shoulder to see the very angry men chasing after them, excluding the orange-sweatered woman, which meant she either gave up, or was chasing after Gilda. Sunset got to her bike and quickly started it up as Pinkie got onto the back. “Hold on tight!” She warned before starting up the engine. They drove off, just before the group could catch up to them. They drove off in the night and away from the parking lot as quickly as possible until the lot was nothing but a speck behind them. Pinkie was holding onto her tight enough to the point Sunset felt as if she was going to snap in half. “Are they gone?!” Sunset asked through the roar of the engines as they sped down the road, making different turns to lose them if they had vehicles. This was to potentially confuse their chasers and eventually make them lose sight, and potentially even give up. However, this brought them to the rough area of town, where many of the recent murders occurred. It also didn’t help that there were many abandoned buildings and businesses surrounding the area. “I don’t see them …!” Pinkie shouted. Sunset let out a sigh of relief, but it was interrupted as loud buzzing got closer from above. She looked up to see black specks in the sky, and they looked to be following them, closely behind. “What the hell?” Sunset muttered before one of the specks dove down suddenly. “Shit!” She exclaimed as she swerved out of the way. The speck slammed into the street, and for a brief second she saw what it was. It was in the shape of a large bug with multiple legs, a black carapace, and with green glowing eyes. That was all she could discern from its face planted position in the half a second she saw it. “What was that?!” Pinkie cried out as they drove down the road. Sunset replied by pushing her bike to go much faster, and though they went clear over the speed limit, whatever was chasing them was more dangerous than road safety. Another bug suddenly dove from the sky and grasped onto the bike with its claws. It hissed at Sunset as it grappled with her, its jaws clicking as it tried to bite her head off. Sunset tried to push it off with one hand while steering with the other, causing the bike to begin swerving. “What the hell is going on?!” Sunset exclaimed as she started to make sharper turns around corners to hopefully shake some of them off. It didn’t seem to work since they would just fly over the buildings and then catch up to them. She finally got the creature off her bike by slamming it into a wall, splattering green blood all over her and Pinkie. “What are we going to do?!” Pinkie cried out. “I have an idea! But it’s risky!” Sunset shouted as she made a sharp turn towards the warehouse district. Her heart pounded nearly as fast as Pinkie’s as adrenaline pumped through her veins as she tried not to imagine what the creatures above them was planning. She drove further, the buildings around them becoming more decrepit the further they went. “Where are we going?” Pinkie asked as they weaved through the small roads. Sunset could hear the girl’s desperation and fear causing guilt to creep up her spine. She didn’t mean for Pinkie to get involved in her investigation, but it seemed as if she found trouble wherever she went. “An old maneuver I learned!” Sunset shouted. “Hold on!” “What?” Pinkie cried out with clear confusion before Sunset swerved into a small alleyway. “Hold on!” Was all Sunset could respond with as she slowly weaved her bike through the narrow passageways. Pinkie let out a cry of fear as she hugged Sunset’s chest tighter, making it much harder for her to breathe. She burst out of the alleyway and drove straight towards a construction site. Pinkie screamed as the bike burst through the gate. Sunset quickly jerked the bike to the side, and hit the brakes, causing it to screech and come to a stop right in front of a metal beam. She could feel the girl behind her breathe heavily and sob, which made her feel guilty, since after this, Pinkie would probably never want to ride a motorcycle ever again. “Did we lose them?” Pinkie asked right before there was a loud clang right above them. A black insect-like creature fell to the ground, collapsing into a heap. It let out a groan right before another one fell right next to it. Sunset immediately jumped onto them, kicking one and knocking it unconscious, and grappling the other. The creature let out a cough and a shriek as she lifted it up off the ground, finding it surprisingly light. “Who are you creatures and what do you want?!” She roared. “We’re changeling!” The creature gasped. “I don’t know anything, I just work for them.” It continued to struggle, but Sunset just clenched her jaw, a feeling of determination washed over her along with confidence now that she had the upper hand. “Why are you working for that thing?!” “I don’t know!” The creature grasped her arm. “We are just contracted out as guards from ChangeData. We are mercenaries …we have no allegiance except to our queen!” It explained. Sunset sneered. “So you know nothing?” “I’m just a drone …we are expendable and know nothing …even if we did we wouldn’t be able to tell you!” The creature gasped. Sunset rolled her eyes, demoralized that the moment she had someone to interrogate, they either run off, or know absolutely nothing. She dropped the creature before kicking it in the skull, knocking it out. Sunset rubbed her head before muttering, “At least I know ChangeData has something to do with this …for some reason.” “At least we’re safe now.” Pinkie sighed. Sunset was about to return the sentiment until she heard static coming from the creature. She leaned forwards and found that it was coming from an earpiece. She lifted it up and listened in on the conversation being had there. [Useless morons!] [Hey, we’re just here as backup!] [What’s the point if you can’t even catch two girls! Whatever. Irons is calling a meeting for all the wendigos in the warehouse district. Her bodyguard will meet us there] [What about the reporter?] [We’ll deal with her later. I remember her face. I’ll go ask Zelus to find her for me. Besides, we have one of her friends. I think this is the one, she is feisty.] “Gilda.” She muttered. “What was that Sunset?” Pinkie asked, approaching her from behind. Sunset turned around, fear and guilt gripping her heart. Gilda was caught, probably by diverting the others away from her and Pinkie. She had dragged the girl into this mess, and now she was captured, and from what it sounded like, the captors had plans for her. “Gilda was captured.” Sunset turned to face Pinkie. “She’s been taken into the warehouse district.” Pinkie covered her mouth. “We have to call the police.” “I agree.” Sunset muttered. She walked over towards her bike. “I’ll go get her, you call the police.” She said before getting onto the vehicle. “What?! No!” Pinkie protested, her face becoming determined and stern. “I’m not letting you go out there and put yourself in danger, not alone at least.” She argued. “Pinkie. I don’t have time to argue with you here.” Sunset clenched her teeth. “I am from a world which is familiar with magic, if you come, you’ll be putting yourself in unnecessary danger.” “I’m not afraid.” Pinkie declared, despite her shaking limbs and trembling voice. Sunset could see she was trying to put on a brave front, trying to pretend she wasn’t fazed. “Friends are there for each other. We went through the sirens together, we can go through this as well.” Sunset let out a sigh. She knew Pinkie could be stubborn, but also didn’t want to put the girl in any more danger. So, taking in the entire situation, she finally came to a decision. “Okay. But first we need to get to the police station and inform them what is occurring. That way we don’t get into any more danger ourselves. ” “Okay. I’m fine with that.” Pinkie said excitedly as she hopped onto the back of the bike. “What about these two?” She asked, pointing at the two unconscious bug creatures on the ground. “I was able to take them down with a punch. They’re not a threat.” Sunset muttered before she started up the bike again. She drove out of the construction site and onto the road towards the police station. The entire ride, her mind was on the entire week leading up to this event. She had been looking into the Anon-A-Miss the entire time, trying to determine who it could be. She had a list of suspects, of people who it could be, but she was never able to pin it down. One of the three suspects she had originally pinned down was the Canterlot Movie Club, but she remembered phones could be hacked via wifi. Anon-A-Miss also acted too smart for the three, planning ahead, and making a decent frame job. They arrived at the police station shortly, and Sunset stopped her bike on the curb. She took off her helmet and gestured at the building. “Quickly, go.” She ordered Pinkie. The girl nodded and hopped off the bike and into the station. “Sorry about this Pinkie.” Sunset muttered as she started up the bike again. “But there isn’t enough time. I’m sure you’ll forgive me.” “Hey Sunset. What do I …?” Pinkie turned around and started only to see Sunset driving off. “Sunset!” The girl cried out, fear suddenly gripping her as she ran out after Sunset. She couldn’t catch up and could only watch as the bike drove off into the distance towards the warehouse district. “Sunset, why?” Pinkie sobbed before turning around and quickly running into the station. Sunset sped up as she ignored all traffic safety laws to get as fast to the warehouse district as possible. She sped past all the cars, getting many to honk as her, but right now, her mind was focused on getting to Gilda as fast as possible. She didn’t have any time to spare, and every second wasted could be a crucial one. She was going to save the girl …even if the cost was her own life. Witchblade She only began to slow down when the warehouse district and the canal around it came into view. She remembered reading on the news which ones were bought by ChangeData. It was a big thing for a company to buy some rundown buildings out of nowhere. It meant more business for the area, but it was also strange enough to warrant some suspicion. As she drove down the road, she came into view of the ChangeData warehouses, and noticed that one of them had their lights on. That, and she saw Gilda’s car parked there. The same one Gilda had run towards when they were being chased. It was very hard to miss, and the decay of the vehicle made it very distinguishable from the rest. Quietly as possible, Sunset got off her bike and made her way around the warehouse. She looked around and noticed a pipe leading to an open window. Taking in a deep breath, she climbed up the pipe, trying to make as little noise as possible. The closer she got to the window however, the louder certain voices got. When she made it to the window and through it onto a platform, the voices became more distinguished. She recognized one of the voices, since it came from the man with the orange sweater, whatever creature he was. “ …witchblade this witchblade that.” She heard the man grumble. Sunset walked over towards one of the railings and looked down to see what looked to be a halloween party. She took out her phone and snapped a picture of the entire group below her in case she made it out of the warehouse alive. On the ground floor stood four individuals in front of a masked woman. The four consisted of a woman whose skin looked to be that of porcelain. Her armor was shaped to look like a suit which had what looked to be medals adorned upon them. She stood up tall, towering over everyone, with rainbow irises which glared at everyone, as if daring anyone to oppose her. The second was a woman whose face was in a permanent scowl. She wore a dress which had many belts, laces, and gems, making her look like a Victorian era lady who decided to put on anything that seemed to be remotely fashionable upon her clothing. Her skin was green and looked oily, her eyes were red and was filled with anger and contempt. The third was slumped forwards with a stoic expression upon her face. She was dressed modestly, her clothes being a plain gray and consisted of a simple shirt, and a pair of gray sweatpants. Her skin was the color of ash, and seemed to sag under its own weight. She looked forwards, staring off into nothing, looking more of a statue than anything else. The fourth was of course the woman Sunset met at the cafe. She was now back to a more humanoid looking figure. She was an overweight, light purple coloured woman whose face bulged out like drawing, obscuring it. Her jacket and sweater stretched to compensate for her large mass as she lumbered around the room. “Where are the other three?” The masked woman asked. Her purple hair flowed out from behind, covering the shoulders of her jade coloured vest. She wore purple leggings with knee pads with a sword on her back, and a pistol attached to her waist. “Midas is off scamming another hapless fellow. Khan is probably killing another puppy to satiate his massive childish grudge against anything that breathes oxygen. Ishtar is probably trying to be as depraved as possible. It is only us four today.” The porcelain man explained. “Why have you called us here today?” The stoic woman asked. “What is so important to demand a meeting here?” “Queen Chrysalis is getting impatient. She asked me and my sisters why her cousins were …and I quote … ‘faffing about and getting nothing done’ and wished for a report.” “It’s going fine.” The oily skinned woman sneered. “What does she know? Does she think she’s better than us?!” The woman roared, her expression suddenly turning wrathful. “This is why nobody likes you Zelus. You are always bitter.” The ash skinned woman said without a hint of emotion in her voice. “Shut the hell up Hypnos.” “Whatever.” “I require a full report by the end of the day, otherwise Chrysalis pulls out of this little alliance and does the project on her own, and you know how she is.” The masked woman explained curtly. Her voice was stern and had a bit of swing to it. It sounded familiar, but different enough that Sunset couldn’t pin down who it belonged to. “For now …I heard Ninkasi ran into some issues.” The overweight woman grumbled as he stepped forward. “A reporter is onto us. She knows about Anon-A-Miss.” She let out a growl. “Couldn’t pay her off, and now she knows ChangeData is part of this.” “This is unfortunate Ninkasi.” The masked woman shook her head. “Another mess I have to clean up. What is this girl’s name?” “Didn’t catch her name if it was mentioned.” Ninkasi mumbled. “If the drones weren’t so useless we would’ve had her.” “Probably because you were drunk out of your mind.” Hypnos said bluntly. “I can smell the alcohol radiating off you.” “I also heard that you didn’t fare much well either. Your head was cracked by a briefcase. One made by ChangeData, but a briefcase nonetheless.” The masked woman shook her head. “You have indulged yourself too much. You have grown too fat, too lethargic. You can barely fight anymore.” “Hey. At least I have something!” Ninkasi snapped her fingers. Two drones appeared from the background with a girl in their arms. Sunset leaned forwards and saw that it was Gilda, with a defiant expression on her face, but she could see the girl was shaking a bit. Sunset made her way towards a staircase and slowly made her way down and weaved her way through the warehouse. Her legs shook as she tried to think of a way to bust Gilda out of the situation they were both in. From what she saw, they were outnumbered and outmatched. “Is this the host for the witchblade you said over the radio?” The woman questioned. “Yes. This is the one. I am sure of it.” Ninkasi laughed. “I sensed a large magic presence around her. She must be the one.” “Are you sure it came from her or just around her?” The woman asked. Ninkasi recoiled back and rubbed the back of her head. “There was a magical presence.” “Come follow me.” The woman growled. Sunset looked over the crates and boxes and saw the group walking off. She slowly tailed behind them, following them all the way into a backroom. She slowly approached the backroom, looking around the area to ensure nobody would see her before inching her way towards the door. She peeked through and saw that it looked to be some sort of office. A very large, fancy office which looked more like a throne room. What was most notable was a silver gauntlet with gems adorned on it. There was a red gem on top of it with a smaller yellowstone next to it at where the knuckles were. A third blue gem was all the way in the back near the top of the gauntlet. The masked woman and the four creatures stood there as the drones pushed Gilda forward. “Go on. Touch the gauntlet.” The purple haired woman gestured towards the pedestal. “And if I tell you to get fucked?” Gilda sneered. The orange haired woman snapped her finger, and the purple haired woman pulled out a pistol and aimed it at Gilda. Gilda shivered but stuck her hand out towards the gauntlet and placed it near before stopping. She looked up at the masked woman before asking, “What does it do?” “If it accepts you, you will gain unfathomable power.” The woman simply answered. “And if not?” “Best to not think about it.” She gestured towards the gauntlet. “Please.” Gilda scoffed. “Not that I have much of a choice.” Sunset watched as Gilda stuck her arm into the gauntlet. In a split second, the gauntlet began to glow, with sparks of energy sparking off it. The girl let out a cry of pain as her blood shot out of her hand before a large blast of energy launched her from the gauntlet and into the wall near Sunset. Sunset watched in horror at Gilda’s smoldering arm as the four monsters and the masked women looked at it without any regard for the girl. Sunset’s fear was replaced with rage as she felt power suddenly well within her. She could feel energy coursing through her veins causing a brigh horn to appear on her forehead as her hair started to rise up into the air. An amber hue enveloped her, her hair turned amber and crimson along with two small golden wings which emerged from her back. The area around her eyes, nose, and her upper lip became a ruby colour which made it look as if she was wearing a mask. “Usually it takes the arm off completely.” The purple haired woman muttered. “Still unfortunate.” She pulled out her pistol. “Bad luck kid.” The purple haired woman aimed her gun at Gilda, finger at the trigger. It was at this moment Sunset chose to act. “No!” She shouted before unleashing a large magical kinetic blast into the room. Everyone in the room barely had any time to react before four of them was knocked out through the window of the office and into the canal behind the warehouse. There was a loud splash and loud cries of anger as the four tried escape the deep canal. When the dust cleared, the only one left was the purple haired woman who was sprawled on the ground. Sunset rushed over to Gilda and helped the girl up off the ground. “Gilda, are you okay?” Sunset quickly asked as she checked the girl and her arm. Gilda’s arm had dark blue cracks from the fingers to the elbow with blood leaking from them. Other than that, the girl seemed fine. “Sunset?” Gilda whispered coarsely. “Duh.” Sunset looked at her appearance and noticed that she was now wearing a white dress and pink dress along with amber shoes. “This is new.” She muttered. “You shouldn’t have come dweeb. We’ll both die here.” Gilda groaned. “And you’ll die looking like a magical princess.” “You’re welcome.” Sunset rolled her eyes. “I won’t lie, I’m kind of glad for the company.” Gilda scoffed. Sunset noticed the purple haired woman raising a pistol up, and it was aimed right at Gilda. Thinking quickly, Sunset pushed Gilda to the side just as a loud crack echoed in the air. Three bullet ripped through Sunsets arm and stomach, causing her to fall to the ground. She reached out with her magic and threw the gun from the woman's hand out the window. The woman reached behind her and took out a sword, but Sunset summoned a blinding light from her hand. The masked woman covered her face with her arm, so Sunset took this opportunity to fire a kinetic blast. The woman was knocked back into a display case which then fell over her in a loud crash. “Gilda. You need to run!” Sunset groaned as she tried to push herself up. “Hell no. I am not leaving you.” Gilda said, grabbing Sunset, but she pushed her off. “No. I can distract them. I have magic, I can keep them at bay.” Sunset coughed up blood and shook as the pain started to make her head spin. “Besides, this was what I was looking for this entire time.” She closed her eyes. “I’m sorry that I dragged you into this.” Gilda hesitated. There was very few times in her life she felt completely helpless, and every one of those times, someone always got hurt while she stood there powerless. It was the reason why she was so obsessed with strength sometimes, so she would never be in another situation where she was at the end of her rope, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to start again. “Tell Pinkie …” Sunset started but Gilda covered her mouth. “Tell her yourself.” Gilda shook her head. “I don’t know what is going on, but if you think you can take them on just because you have some pony magic then you are dead wrong.” Gilda shuddered. “Listen …we got Anon-A-Miss. We …we can’t go before we clear your name.” Sunset smiled as she placed a hand upon the brown-skinned girl’s cheek. “You and Pinkie know the truth ….and that is enough for me.” She whispered. “It is not enough for me.” Gilda cried out in a panic. She gripped Sunset with tears in her eyes, trying her best to get some control of the situation, to stabilize it a bit. “Just …just let me do something good …do some good for someone else …for once …” Sunset looked at the girl with pity. She understood the feeling of helplessness, of being alone. But she also understood that sacrifices sometimes had to be made, to save innocent lives, and those she cared about. Every part of her wanted to run, but she was done running, and was going to face everything head on. Before she could tell Gilda to leave, and impart some last words, there was a dull squelch before a splash of red covered Gilda’s face. The girl wiped some of it off her face and looked down at her fingers. Her pupils shook as she realized it was red with blood before then forcing herself to look down at Sunset’s chest. A blade had pierced through Sunset’s heart. Blood dripped from the wound, covering Sunset and Gilda in blood as the two of them tried to process what just happened. It happened so suddenly, neither of them were able to move until Sunset was thrown to the side like a ragdoll into the display where the gauntlet was. “Brave! But foolish.” The masked woman remarked as she looked down at Sunset. “A valiant effort …shame it was wasted.” She pointed her blade, which was now covered in blood, at Gilda, ignoring Sunset who was now bleeding out on the floor. Sunset saw Gilda standing there, grasping her injured arm, backed up to the wall. Her uninjured fist was clenched and stared the masked woman directly and looked prepared to strike the woman in front of her. Sunset knew Gilda stood no chance, especially due to her injury. “Gilda …” Sunset gasped weakly as she concentrated magic into her left hand. “I’m sorry.” “Before we die. For what it’s worth …I’m sorry for thinking you were Anon-A-Miss.” Gilda scowled as the masked woman stood there, as if listening to their last words. “At least I die standing.” “Valiant last words.” The masked woman remarked before she raised her blade up to strike Gilda. “I respect a fellow warrior.” “No …” Sunset gasped. “I’m sorry for this.” “What do you …” Gilda’s eyes widened as Sunset lifted her hands towards the girl. “Sunset wait!” Was all Gilda could get out before a red aura enveloped her. She lunged towards Sunset, as if trying to save her, but never got the chance before she blipped away. Right after, the masked woman swung downwards which would have cut Gilda in half. “No!” The masked woman roared as she turned towards Sunset. In a rage, she cut Sunset’s left arm off before kicking the girl down. Sunset didn’t even have time to register in the pain before crashing hard into the wall behind her. Her magical form dissipated returning her back to her normal clothes and form as the horn on her forehead slowly dissolved. “What the hell?” The masked woman snarled as she walked over towards where Gilda disappeared. “Where did she go?!” “It’s over Anon-A-Miss.” Sunset gasped …unaware of the tendril coming out of the gauntlet that was slowly inching its way towards her. “I’ve won …” “You’ve won nothing!” The masked woman snapped. Sunset smirked as she felt her mind began to drift away. She never thought this was the way she would die, but in a way she was kind of glad. Weeks of fighting made her tired, and she went out her own way, saving others, and uncovering secrets. “Can I …at least know …who you are …before I die?” Sunset coughed as blood started to pool around her. Her pony ears and tail faded away, now all the magic concentrated within her chest, trying to keep her alive as long as possible. She had a good minute before bleeding out, even with the last remnants of her magic keeping her on life support. The woman paused and lifted her blade up. “I am Nottingham.” Sunset closed her eyes and prepared for the strike, but it never came. Instead, she heard a loud crack followed by a loud crash. Something cold then enveloped her right hand and moved up her arm before the entire limb was covered. Energy suddenly flowed through the girl as a sudden burst of power coursed through her veins, pulling her from the grasp of death. The Blade of Iron got up from the ground, tired of being hit by magic that flung her around to see a red light shine from the flame haired girl that was bleeding out on the floor. However, the girl was now standing up, radiating with power. Her body radiated with power as it rushed in; it was exhilarating, it was pure ecstasy. The Blade of Iron looked down at her chest and saw that the blast had dented her armor and burned part of it completely off. The masked woman looked up just as Sunset opened her eyes, the whites replaced with black as her turquoise irises glowed. A voice spoke to the girl as she and the Blade stared at each other, both waiting for the other to make the first move. Sirens were heard in the distance as it got closer to the warehouse, red and blue lights flaring in the distance. }}}Kill her…!{{{ The sounds of clashing blades, the crackling of fire, and the heat of a sudden explosion erupted that night. The battle cry of a soldier, and the maniacal laughter of a monster mixed together, indiscernible from each other. Author's Note Hello there Hi I hope you are having a great day. Just some notes and fun facts. Originally I planned out this story to go an entirely different way. Basically, Gilda was going to get away and not get captured. Pinkie and Sunset ends up at the warehouse district because Sunset used to live there and they stumble upon an arms deal between the two bad guy factions. But that ended up getting too bogged down and so I changed it so Gilda got captured. A little fun tidbit. Anyways, feel free to criticize the story to your hearts intent. I appreciate any suggestions. Though I appreciate that you took the time to read this story. (EDIT) Clarified that Thorax isn't Anon-A-Miss and that he is just a minion.
(Case 1-2: The Masked Woman): Iron and Steel“We outnumber you eight to one!” The changeling scowled. “You don’t stand a chance!” Sunset raised a hand and willed out fire to erupt from her hands which engulfed the changeling. The creature screamed for a short second as it fell to the ground, smoldering and charred black. However, it still breathed, and slowly crawled away from the fight. “What an idiot.” Another changeling scowled. The six remaining changeling rushed towards Sunset, their weapons raised which consisted of metallic batons which sparked with electricity. The changelings swung at Sunset. She could sense their movements, their intentions and predict their strikes. It seemed that along with strength, Witchblade granted her increased strength, reflexes, perception, and senses. She ducked under one strike and struck the changeling in the stomach, flinging it into a burning cop car. Two came at her, their batons raised up high. She ducked and weaved through their strikes as they swung wildly, trying to get a single hit in, but failing each time. When she saw an opportunity, she struck suddenly and swiftly, striking one of the changeling’s skull and knocking them out. She caught the baton of the other in her claws as she willed three inched blades to extend out from her right hand. She cut the changelings arm off before then kicking it into a car. The last three rushed her with the masked woman behind them, twirling her sword around. Sunset caught a figure lurking around in the background, right behind a cop car, and could feel their gaze focused on her. She didn’t have time to focus on them as she dodged and weaved between the strikes thrown at her by the changelings. After dodging a strike, she saw an opening and used her blade to cut off the hand of one before ducking and stabbing them in the knee. The second came up behind her with their baton raised over their head before swinging down towards her. Sunset transformed one of the blades into a shield and blocked the strike before deflecting it to the side. The changeling stumbled back so Sunset took this opportunity to dash forwards with her blade and stab it right through its shoulder, causing them to drop their baton. She grabbed their arm and lifted them up off the ground before throwing them into the ground with a thunderous ‘crack’. The creature laid there, eyes rolled into the back of its head, leaving the last one who just stood there, shaking in its boots. It ran towards one of the cops laying on the ground and grabbed the man’s pistol. Sunset saw this and reached a hand out, willing out metal wires to extend and envelop the creature. It struggled and fired the pistol into Sunset which hit her torso. She felt the sharp pain as the bullets pierced her body, but she also felt the parts regenerate just as fast. She clenched her fist, causing the wires to contract, cracking the changelings carapace, causing it to cry out in pain and drop the gun. She then dropped it onto the ground in a trembling heap as it crawled away. “Well done!” The masked woman exclaimed behind Sunset. She turned to see the woman pointing her sword, as if challenging her. “The witchblade chose well!” “You …”Sunset’s eyes widened as she recognized that voice, the mannerisms, and their sword. It was the woman from the warehouse …Nottingham. “Me …” The Nottingham nodded. “You know I thought about paying a visit to that girl …what’s her name …Gilda?” She scratched her chin. “However …it seemed she left earlier today.” The woman shrugged. “I’ll find her, you know.” She smiled. “And maybe I’ll mount her head on my mantle.” “NO!” Sunset roared as she rushed at Nottingham. Their blades clashed, Nottingham grinned under her mask as she saw the fury in the girl’s eyes, the anger and hate, but most of all the fire. She could feel the heat radiating off the witchblade wielder and it made her blood boil with excitement. “Good movement!” Nottingham shouted before kicking Sunset back with inhumane speed. “But poor technique!” “Don’t you dare touch a single hair on her!” Sunset roared as she swung at Nottingham . The woman deflected it easily and twisted her blade downwards into Sunset’s stomach before twisting it. Sunset cried out in pain as the masked woman sliced open her abdomen, splashing blood all over the ground before she grabbed Sunset’s neck and threw the girl into a cop car. }}}This woman is dangerous! We must retreat!{{{ ‘She will hurt Pinkie and Gilda! I can’t let her do that!’ }}}If you die we can’t protect the both of them!{{{ Sunset felt the armor begin to move. She looked down and noticed that the armor started to extend over her chest and cover the rest of her body before she was fully covered from the neck down in metal. In the process, she saw the stomach wound she had begun to close which felt like the world’s worst stomach ache. She got up off the ground as Nottingham approached her, playfully swinging her sword around. “I’m going to kill you for what you did at the warehouse! For what you did to my school!” Nottingham rolled her eyes. “Anon-A-Miss? That wasn’t me. I just simply took advantage of it.” The woman looked to the side and her eyes focused on Pinkie who was watching the whole thing unfold in front of her at the sidelines. She thought back to how the witchblade made it her first priority to save the girl. She smiled as she pulled out a gun and pointed it at the crowd, aimed right at Pinkie. The crowd that was gathering around screamed as they fled the scene, realizing that now they were in the crosshairs. Nottingham smiled as her finger touched the trigger. “Though I have to admit …having people know you’re not Anon-A-Miss is bad for business.” “NO!” Sunset screamed as shot fire at Nottingham, catching the woman off guard for a second. However, this was what she was hoping for. She extended out her hands and the runes on her back and arms started to work as she absorbed the energy of the witchblade. Nottingham felt power surge through her while Sunset felt as if it was being drained from her very being. Nottingham felt her body throb, the heat within her roar to live as her heart raced, as if trying to escape from her chest. She had trained her entire life to stay cool, to keep her composure, but nothing could prepare her for the influx of power she received. A frenzy filled her mind, and the only thing she could think of was to kill the unworthy being in front of her. }}}Sunset! That woman is draining my power! We need to flee now or else be torn to shreds!{{{ ‘We need to get Pinkie to safety first!’ Sunset got up off the ground and made her way towards the sidelines, her arm outstretched to grab Pinkie and run. However, a stern hand grasped her arm and tossed her away to the side and into the ground. She looked up to see Nottingham standing over her, breathing heavily. “Your power …GIVE ME MORE!” Nottingham rushed forwards, her sword raised over her head, the blade now glowing a bright blue. Sunset got up from the ground and braced herself for the incoming strikes. She was wholly unprepared for the rapid and successive strikes that assailed her. It felt as if she was being assaulted by four skilled warriors as the blade struck every part of her body in what felt like to be a second. Using her enhanced reflexes, she deflected as many as she could, but the strikes found gaps that she couldn’t defend. The blades cut her body open through the metal, and blood poured out as each wound healed was quickly replaced by another one. She could feel her energy draining as her mind screamed for every strike she felt incoming, but couldn’t defend. Nottingham grasped Sunset by the throat and lifted her up from the ground. “A valiant effort! But you are outmatched!” Nottingham roared as her hand clenched over Sunset’s throat. “I wonder how I will kill you! Maybe I’ll skin you alive! Maybe I’ll slowly rip you limbs off one by one and see how fast you can regenerate!”A cruel grin found its way upon her face. “I know! I’ll do it all at once!” }}}Sunset! Focus!{{{ Despite all her efforts, she couldn’t escape from the women's grasp as she raised her glowing blue sword, aimed right at her neck. A maniacal laughter escaped Nottingham’s lips as she prepared to strike. Sunset braced herself as her mind raced to think of a way to escape, but it only focused on Gilda and Pinkie. ‘Was this always my destiny? To die such a cruel fate?’ Sunset wondered. ‘My teacher princess Celestia once taught that every pony had a destiny, whether for greatness or evil. When I asked who chose their destiny …she simply smiled and said [they choose their own]. Now I wonder …if this is the consequences of my actions. After a life of sin …did I choose this destiny and fate?’Sunset grit her teeth. ‘Then I walk into it willingly.’ Before Nottingham could stab Sunset with her blade, the figure that was hanging round the perimeter suddenly jumped in. The stranger moved with amazing speed and struck the woman’s face, knocking her mask off. Nottingham stumbled back before she was kicked in the stomach, causing her to double over. Sunset let out a gasp as she was released from its grasp. She looked up to see who was her savior. The woman turned around …and what Sunset saw shook her. The face of Adagio Dazzle stared at her, meeting her gaze. The siren who caused her so much trouble during the battle of the bands was now standing there, saving her. ‘Idiot! How could you so easily be consumed by power!’ Adagio berated Nottingham in her mind. ‘You were supposed to absorb the witchblade not kill the first user in decades! This was not part of the plan …and I’ll deal with you later!’ “RUN!” Adagio exclaimed as Nottingham looked up at her. “Wh-why?” Nottingham muttered quietly before Adagio kicked the woman in the face, shutting her up. Adagio heard sirens begin to approach, so she looked around for the witchblade. She noticed the woman slip away into the darkness so she began to follow as cops began to appear. “Freeze! CCPD!” A voice exclaimed as Adagio fled the scene, disappearing into the shadows behind Sunset. Sunset ran into an alleyway, shaking as she leaned back against a wall. Her breath was stuttered, and she tried to regain her composure after that near-death experience. The witchblade had retracted from the full-body and back to barely covering her breasts and womanhood. She shut her eyes and steadied her breathing. Her nerves were completely shot, and it made her feel like a wreck. When she just started to feel powerful …she was tossed down again, and by the same person in the warehouse. She felt helpless and useless, but was thankful that at least Pinkie was safe for the time being. }}}To your right.{{{ Sunset looked over her shoulder and nearly jumped out of her skin as Adagio Dazzle walked out of the shadows. The woman let out a sigh before taking off her jacket and handing it over to Sunset. The jacket was a nice shade of violet with pink frills on the inside. Dazzle had a purple suit and violet trousers underneath it which had stars ingrained in neatly ordered lines. “Take this. It is cold outdoors.” Adagio said as Sunset hesitantly took the jacket. “Adagio …?”Sunset muttered, getting the woman’s attention. “Have we met before?” The woman raised an eyebrow. Sunset shook her head. “I guess not …” Dazzle reached out, but Sunset flinched. “Don’t touch me. I …I’m not comfortable at the moment …” The woman nodded. “Stay safe out there.” “Don’t follow me …”Was sunsets only response as she ran out into the street. Adagio watched as the witchblade extended out her wings and flew up into the night sky, and continued until the wielder had disappeared into the clouds. The woman stared stoically before turning around and walking off. She had a certain Blaze to deal with. Witchblade Sunset woke up in her bed, completely naked with only Dazzle’s jacket around her. She let out a groan as she sat up, rubbing her neck as she recalled last night's events. She rubbed her eyes and remembered Adagio Dazzle, or at least her counterpart saving her out of nowhere. She didn’t know how to feel about it, and was conflicted because though the siren was dangerous, petty, and vindictive …the human had saved her life. }}}That was too dangerous. I was almost completely drained of my power.{{{ Sunset rolled her eyes as she got out of bed. She tossed the jacket to the side before walking towards her closet. “I had to go save Pinkie.” She muttered. }}}The woman’s target wasn’t your friend. It was us. She just did that to lure us out.{{{ “Well …I’m not going to just sit around and let her skewer my friends.” Sunset snapped as she took out a fresh pair of clothing from the closet. She scoffed. “Besides …I am no stranger to life and death situations.” }}}You are reckless. Headstrong with a complete disregard for your safety. There is a difference between bravery and foolishness.{{{ Sunset was silent as she slowly put on her clothes. She let out a heavy sigh when she turned around to look a the jacket that laid on her bed. She picked it up with one hand and found it be quite heavy. She pressed her face into it, and found it to also be extremely fuzzy. “Do you have to shred all my clothes every time I transform?” Sunset asked as she put the jacket around her. “I would like to keep some intact.” }}}Not all the time …but most of the time. It depends on the situation.{{{ “Fantastic. I’ll either have to make sure to strip before I transform or ask Rarity to make new ones for me because at this rate my wardrobe will empty out.” She grumbled. She then looked down at her bracelet. “Why didn’t you give me the full armor when we first transformed?” }}}I transform based on the danger that you are in. The changelings were a low threat. The woman with the sword was dangerous.{{{ “Well I would prefer a full transformation to begin with.” Sunset grumbled. “I don’t want to look like some stripper when fighting monsters.” }}}I would advise you to show more respect. The wielders before you have worn that armor and altered the fate of the world itself and etched their name in history.” “Maybe in this universe.” Sunset muttered as she stretched her arms and legs. “I wonder if you have a parallel in my dimension.” }}}Unlikely. I have sifted through your memories. Though there are many parallels of my world and yours, it is not a pure copy.{{{ “Maybe I should tell Twilight about this …” Sunset muttered absentmindedly, not paying attention to the witchblade as she looked at her Journal which sat on the nightstand. She rubbed her chin. “If there is an artifact like this in Equestria …it would be prudent to ensure it doesn’t fall in the wrong hands.” Before she could continue pondering, her bedroom door slammed open. It was Gilda and she had a wild expression on her face. “Sunset! Did you see the news!?” The girl exclaimed. Sunset followed Gilda downstairs where she saw Celestia and Luna watching the news. {The deadly attack left many officers and members of the Pie residence injured. However, nobody had any lethal injuries and are expected to make short recoveries.} The news brought up the image of the wreckage in front of the Pie residence. The cop cars had stopped burning but their burnt ruins laid there in full display. Trucks were towing the wreckage away in the clip as police and detectives swarmed the area. {The assailant was unknown but the dead bodies of seven were recovered. They were identified to be gang members belonging to an unknown faction. The FBI has explained that many people that night was hysterical and mistook the gang members armor for insect carapaces.} A blurry picture of a changeling appeared on screen. However it was so heavily blurred and distorted by the fire around the area, one could mistake the creatures for a strangely armored mercenary. {The FBI and police arrived, but the gang members managed to escape through the inferno and ensuing chaos. There is also a question about the strange rogue cop that many bystanders claimed to have seen that night. Here is a photo} The next picture caused a chill to go up Sunset’s spine. It was a photo of her in all her glory wielding the witchblade with Pinkie in her arms. Bat wings extending out from her back along with her black eyes and turquoise irises were quite pronounced in the photo. The scene then switched to Shining Armor who stood in front of the scene. {We do not know who this woman is …but she is either a vigilante or a rogue cop with high tech. We already had suspicions that ChangeData may be involved in the mystery murders, but now we have hints they may be involved in this incident as well.} {Chief Shining Armor. Are you saying that this and the mystery murders are connected?} A reporter asked. {What I am saying is that there are a lot of coincidences. I won’t comment further than that. All you need to know is that the task force is working diligently on bringing these criminals to justice.} Sunset wrung her hands nervously as the news then shifted to the most recent Mystery Murder. It was a woman who was mysteriously fried from the inside out, something that was described as being impossible. Gilda let out a heavy sigh right besides her while shaking her head. “Looks like we got a lot of work to do.” The girl muttered. Sunset couldn’t help but agree. This was just the beginning, she looked down at her bracelet, and she felt the path she was treading was about to get messier. Witchblade “Your cousins are loose cannons and are out of control. Did you read the last report?” Adagio growled as she leaned against the wall. Aria Blaze was tied up within a large black suit, with only her eyes showing. Adagio let out a scoff. “What I believe is that we should cut them out. Anon-A-Miss has already handled most of the heavy lifting.” Adagio paced back and forth in the tiled room the two women were in. The walls and the floor were tiled, looking to be recently cleaned and buffered. Aria scowled under the suit as she gripped her hands into fists. The power that flowed through her was impossible to control, and it filled her with bloodlust not even she could resist. If Adagio was to be overwhelmed with it, she too would fall, but the women needed to blame Aria for her failure. “They can bitch and moan about it all they want. Without support, they are nothing but rabid dogs. Very powerful …but with nothing in those thick empty skulls of theirs.” Adagio stopped and listened in to the other voice on the other end. “Yes …my acquisition of the witchblade has been delayed. Thanks to a certain variable …” Adagio turned and glared at Aria with a scowl. “But I can get it soon. Don’t worry about that, she shouldn’t be anything to worry about.” Adagio suddenly tense up, her eyebrows raised. “Really? Those four? Thought they couldn’t manifest without a huge amount of energy.” The voice on the phone continued and Adagio nodded. “A gambit …a gambit we most likely have to take.” The conversation continued and Aria felt like nodding off, but an elbow from Adagio prevented it. “Of course. I’ll get it done as soon as possible. Who was Anon-A-Miss again?” The caller’s voice was too far to reply and Aria watched as Adagio nodded. “The Canterlot Movie Club right, and the fourth?” The voice seemed to continue on, and Aria could hear a bit of hesitation and agitation in from the other side of the phone. “True …the fourth is too hard to control and too destructive.” Adagio nodded in agreement. “Three will be more than enough. I’ll get them, do not worry. I’ll update you when I do.” Adagio put her phone away as she turned towards Aria with a disappointed and angry frown. “You were supposed to absorb and control the power, but instead let it get into your head!” The woman snapped. “You almost ruined a perfectly crafted plan that could have set us back decades!” Adagio let out a scowl. “I entrusted you with a gift …with an ability many would dream of just having for a couple of seconds.” She continued as she paced around the dimly lit, tiled room. She shook her head and let out a disappointed sigh, trying to shake off the fury that raged within her. “And you have proved yourself incapable.” The woman leaned forwards and glared at Aria. “Take this time to reflect on your failure last night, and think of this as a lesson about how to handle power.” Adagio walked over towards a table and opened up a control panel. Aria finally took notice of the wires that came from the panel which was connected to each one of her limbs. “This won’t be enough to kill you, especially with all the enhancements within you.” Adagio reassured as her hand hovered over a switch. “And make sure to take this lesson to heart, otherwise it won’t be just a hundred volts next time.” She paused and turned to look Aria in the eye. “I’m doing this because I care, because this is important. Don’t worry …I'm sure you’ll come out of this a wiser person.” Adagio smirked as she grasped the switch. “Think of this as a lesson on how to control your power.” Adagio then flipped the switch on. Witchblade Sunset sat in the cafe right next to Gilda with untouched coffee right in front of them. The SugarCube Cafe had gotten back to business quite quickly after the little skirmish Sunset had with the monsters two days ago. There were customers, but not many, probably because everyone heard what had happened and had chosen to avoid the area like the plague. However, Sunset found comfort in the small cafe. It felt like home, like family to her, but yet she felt a bit empty. As if there was something missing. Gilda was good company, but she by herself couldn’t fill the hole Sunset felt within her chest. They sat in silence as Sunset looked out the window at the pedestrians walking up and down the street. They were told that it wasn’t a good idea to go out, especially with killers on the run who were getting bolder every single day. The incident at the Pie residence shook the entire police department, and making the double the amount of security at both residences. Though it made it a bit more obvious, Shining Armor had told them that he wasn’t taking any more risks. They were really starting to clamp down hard on the Mystery Murder Cases it seemed. “This entire city is going crazy.” Gilda finally muttered before taking a sip from her coffee. “Tell me about it.” Sunset nodded as she followed suit. She put her mug down and let out a sigh. “And all of this because I decided to pursue Anon-A-Miss.” Gilda shook her head. “Nobody blames you.” She let out a scoff. “If it was me …I’d be cracking heads left and right.” She snorted. Sunset couldn’t help but smile as well. “Reckless bunch the two of us aren’t we?” She smirked. “Running into danger headstrong, and blowing stuff up.” She let out a sigh. “It’s just not in my nature to be passive though. If something is going wrong …I don’t take shit laying down.” Gilda nodded as well. “Understandable.” She raised her coffee mug in the air. “However, it is good to take a break once in a while. I’ve learned firsthand that it’s good to unwind once in a while.” Sunset nodded as she looked down at her bracelet. “I agree.” She muttered. }}}To be effective in battle, one must learn how to conserve their energy.{{{ ‘Yeah, yeah. I know. Duty and all that.’ Sunset said within her head. She leaned against the cafe window. }}}My powers is a blessing as much as it is a curse and a burden.{{{ ‘How cheerful of you.’ }}}Thank you. I am the epitome of positivity.{{{ ‘Did any other wielder tell you otherwise?’ }}}Yes. I was always described as being too serious, tense, and tone deaf.{{{ ‘Do you take constructive criticism?’ Sunset raised up an eyebrow. }}}No.{{{ ‘Duly noted.’ Sunset signed under her breath and sat back in her seat. She looked up at the menu and thought about what pastries she would like to eat. Her mind somehow connected sweet with an image of principal Celestia. The woman looked to be less stressed and better that morning, but there was still a weight upon her shoulders. When Sunset asked Luna and Celestia what was on their mind, they just shrugged it off. The two then told Gilda and Sunset to stay home that day and out of trouble, but the two elected to ignore it and go hang out in the cafe instead. It was a pain convincing the police officers to let them free though, and they were forced to take a small radio she was certain that was being tracked. The attack at Pinkie’s had made everyone paranoid, it seemed that even the cops were vulnerable now. Sunset saw two cops hanging outside in their car enjoying their coffee for the day, but she had suspicions they were keeping an eye on them, as if they were too helpless to defend themselves. She rolled her eyes and focused back on Gilda who looked agitated, tapping the floor with her feet, and on the table with her fingers. “What’s on your mind?” She asked the white haired girl. Gilda shook her head. “It’s nothing.” She muttered as she continued on fidgeting in her seat. Sunset rolled her eyes as she noticed that the girl was rubbing her fingers, as if there was something on them which was bothering her. “What’s up with your fingers?” Sunset asked, catching the white haired girl by surprise. “I do it from time to time. Bad habit from a different time.” She explained. “I used to wear these very uncomfortable gloves when I was younger …” She looked to the side, as if in shame. “It’s something I am not proud of.” She muttered. Sunset wanted to continue, but she decided not to press since the other girl looked extremely uncomfortable about the subject. So she decided to try and segway to something else entirely, one which wouldn’t ruin the small number of allies she had at the moment. “Is it about the news?” Sunset asked. Gilda looked up and the two locked eyes. Gilda finally nodded. “Yes …that is part of it.” She muttered. “Right after the warehouse, something like that happens.” Gilda let out a sigh. “An attack of that scale at the Pie residence after the warehouse?” The girl shook her head. “That isn’t a coincidence.” Sunset nodded as she pulled away from the window and sat back in her seat. She had to admit that it obviously wasn’t a coincidence, anyone could see that. The people she was trying to expose wanted to silence any witnesses, however what confused her was the masked woman. She was trying to steal the witchblade from her, and Pinkie just seemed to be a way to draw her out. There were so many questions and so little answers. }}}We were the main target of that attack, there is no doubt about it. We must be more careful about the fights we pick otherwise we will end up dead or worse.{{{ ‘But why? The warehouse …the attack …Anon-A-Miss …ChangeData …how are they all connected?’ }}}Let us hope we survive to find out.{{{ Sunset rolled her eyes at witchblade’s comment and was about to answer Gilda when a voice interrupted them. “The cops are on it. That’s all that matters.” A husky voice replied as a woman sat down next to Sunset in the shop. Gilda’s eyes widened, and Sunset turned to see the figure of Adagio Dazzle sitting right next to her. The woman was wearing a jacket which was purple and laced with violet frills. It had a smooth and polished gleam to it, along with a nice pattern upon it. However, the only difference was that she wore an iron mask which covered her features. It was coloured in a way which made it look jagged which shone in the light. There was a certain elegance to it, the roundness of it, along with the two eye holes which allowed her magenta pupil to shine through. “Do we know you?” Gilda asked as she leaned forwards. “Because you look familiar.” “I have been told that before in this area.” Adagio Dazzle nodded with a laugh. She took out a menu and opened it up. “Do you want anything?” She asked. “I’m good, thanks.” Gilda narrowed her eyes. Adagio shrugged and snapped her fingers. Mrs. Cake walked over with a notebook. “What do you want?” The older woman asked. “One of everything.” Adagio answered before placing a platinum coloured credit card in the menu and handing it over to Mrs. Cake. The woman’s eyes widened before scurrying off to the cash register to slide the card. There was a second, and Sunset could see the woman’s brain begin to process the order before she ran back to the table and handed Adagio her credit card and receipt back. The woman then turned around and headed into the back of the restaurant. “Can you even finish all of that?” Gilda snarked. “I have been asked that before.” Adagio nodded, with a hint of amusement in her voice. She tilted her head. “Do you know who I am?” Gilda shook her head. “No …don’t keep up with rich people.” Adagio nodded again. “Fair enough.” She tilted her head. “I am the Iron Lady of Canterlot City …” She straightened up. “You may have heard that title somewhere.” That name caused Gilda to recoil back before leaning forwards a little. “I heard you died.” She muttered with shock on her face. Adagio let out a hearty laugh before putting her hands out in front of her. “It’s a family title.” She explained. “Yes …my mother died …but I took her mantle.” “What is your name?” Gilda asked. “Family secret miss Grimshaw.” Adagio put a finger up to her mask as if silencing herself. “But you can call me Mrs. Irons.” “How do you know my name!” Gilda demanded, but only got a laugh in response. “I know everything around here.” Adagio put her hands out. “I own a successful technology company, the electrical grid and water system.” She leaned forwards. “My family was one of the city's founders, you see.” She whispered. “I’ve never heard of your family being a founder of this city.” Gilda narrowed her eyes. Adagio shrugged. “Many don’t.” She then turned towards Sunset. “However. This young woman has.” She placed an arm around Sunset. Sunset flinched but the the embrace didn’t feel hostile, but rather laid back and warm, like she was talking to a friend rather than a foe. There was a certain element to the woman’s voice that made her sound approachable and friendly. It made the air seem lighter and more relaxed. “When did you two meet?” Gilda narrowed her eyes. Sunset pursed her lips and looked to the side. “It’s complicated.” She muttered. Adagio nodded. “Our first meeting was …messy.” She explained. “Let me guess. The warehouse?” Gilda asked, an eyebrow raised. Adagio let out a laugh and shook her head. “No no no. Though I have relations with ChangeData I am not that influental.” She smiled. “It was related to it though.” “Did you send the demons after Sunset?” Gilda snarled. Sunset felt uncomfortable as she felt the air begin to shift. Gilda’s temper, suspicion and impulses was beginning to make the air around them tense up. “Demons?” Adagio laughed before she leaned forwards. “Please. I would never associate with such disgusting creatures who cause only destruction and mayhem.” She leaned back. “Although it is unfortunate that ChangeData was reckless enough to allow such creatures into their warehouse.” She shook her head. “How disappointing of them.” “Gilda.” Sunset spoke up, getting the girl’s attention. She put her hands in front of her on the table. “She’s not an enemy.” “Is she a friend?” Gilda looked over at Adagio with a snarl. “Am I?” Adagio glanced at Sunset, her features covered by her mask, but there was a hint of curiosity in her voice. “That depends.” Sunset narrowed her eyes. She felt suspicious of the woman, appearing out of nowhere to help her when she was on her last knees. Though she was pretty certain the woman wasn’t an enemy, she wasn’t sure what her goals were. “Let me prove it to you.” Adagio reached into her suit and procured out two cards. She handed one each to both Sunset and Gilda. “If you need help or guidance …call me. I’ll always be available.” The woman turned to Sunset and pat her on the shoulder. “I wish I could stay here and chat, but I have a meeting I got to go to.” Adagio got up from the table and put a hand upon Sunset’s shoulder before leaning up to her ear. “I know you have many questions, and I have your answers. If you wish to know more, meet me at my building listed on the card whenever you want.” She than straightened herself, and walked out of the cafe. Sunset followed the woman and saw her get into a sleek, polished, and slim black car with a long hood with pearl white engravings on it. She watched it pull out from the curb and into the street before disappearing into the distance. “You want to tell me what that was about?” Gilda growled angrily as Sunset turned back to face the girl. “She …well it’s hard to explain.” Sunset muttered. “She saved me.” “When?” Gilda raised an eyebrow. “A while ago.” Sunset looked to the side. She felt bad for lying to Gilda, but she didn’t want the girl to know that she currently held a magical artifact that gave her the power to fight demons. She especially didn’t want the girl that she then fought someone who was very much not a demon and got her ass handed to her on a silver platter. }}}I do not like that woman. Your friend is right to be suspicious.{{{ ‘She saved us that night though. I can’t think of any reason why she would.’ }}}To gain our trust. To let our guard down.{{{ ‘What if she is just friendly?’ }}}What if she is not.{{{ Sunset paused as she pondered the witchblade’s words. She looked out the window down the street where Adagio had disappeared. She then looked down at the card she was given and saw the address for the building, her phone number, along with the company name. ‘Iron International’ was written upon the card. The woman seemed nice enough, but had a hint of mystery and mystique surrounding her, and it piqued Sunset’s curiosity. “I don’t like this.” Gilda shook her head. “Anon-A-Miss, the attacks, and then that woman.” She leaned back. “Something ain’t right.” “Gilda. We need allies.” Sunset finally sighed. She didn’t want to admit it, but at the moment, the two were quite outmatched. The masked woman, the so-called ‘Blade of Iron’ she fought the night before was able to cut through the witchblade, and she wasn’t sure how. “Especially concerning Anon-A-Miss.” “But we also can’t afford to be pulled into deeper shit.” Gilda explained. “How do we know that Harlot won’t screw us over the first chance she has?” The girl asked. Sunset smiled. “Well.” She looked up. “I’ll find out when I can.” “Yeah.” Gilda sighed. “Thought you would. Caution isn’t a word you understand well.” She muttered before being interrupted by Miss Cake. The woman had a cart full of sweets of every variety along with every drink, shake, pastry, ice cream and courses the small cafe had to offer. It looked to be enough to feed a large family, and the cart towered over the two and was between six to seven feet tall. Sunset could only gawk as a large cake, three drinks, and a large tub of ice cream was placed before her. “Diabetes the meal.” Gilda muttered. “Where was that lovely woman who was talking with you?” Miss Cake asked. Sunset let out a sigh. “She left already.” She muttered. “Guess it’s just us two.” “Oh, that’s a shame.” The owner shook her head as she gave Gilda her meal. “She seemed nice.” “Yes …she seemed nice.” Gilda muttered before looking back at Sunset. The two stared at each other, both having multiple things going through their head. Sunset was thinking about all the situation she had found her in, and about what her next course of action should be. Gilda was wondered how Sunset kept finding her way in dangerous situations, almost as if the girl was a magnet for trouble. Miss cake was wondering if she could ever find such a well paying customer ever again. ‘Hey witchblade. Can you eat all of this?’ Sunset asked in her mind as she poked at her food. }}}I will increase your metabolism and store some of it for energy later.{{{ ‘Thanks.’ Sunset took a bite of ice cream. ‘You seem used to this.’ }}}You would not believe the unhealthy diets of many past wielders.{{{ “Well if we don’t die from demons, monsters or a government conspiracy …” Gilda grumbled as she took a bite from a large pink cake. “We can die happily after eating ourselves into a food coma.” “Now that is the Canterlot dream.” Sunset chuckled while raising her shake in the air. The two shared a hearty laugh as they tried to eat the food that was in front of them Witchblade Adagio sat around the table, staring at the four wendigos sitting in front of her. Aria blaze sat next to her, glaring daggers at the woman, probably because of her little disciplinary action. She paid no attention though, for Adagio was sure Aria would get over it sooner or later and not whine about how she was unjustly treated. “So …let me get this straight.” Adagio pointed at the four demons in front of her. “After months of being freed …all you have done is jack shit. Faffing about like morons and getting nothing done.” She snapped. “The Anon-A-Miss situation is almost ready to burst.” Hybris interjected. “It is close to exploding. It just needs a couple more weeks to fester.” “A plan you have now put into jeopardy because of your fucking overfeeding!” Adagio snapped. “You have brought the police down on us. Not to mention reporters, police and private investigators.” The woman shook her head and spun her chair around to face the window of her suite. “Why is it that I have to clean up other people’s mess?” She spun her chair to face Aria. “What do you think?” Aria grit her teeth and snarled out. “Maybe we should wait and decide if it was their mess and ensure they aren’t Unjustly and Wrongly punished.” She felt the stares from the four wendigos int he room but she didn’t care. She was too busy glaring daggers at Adagio who sat innocently in her chair. She gripped the pistol under the table, thinking of the pros and cons of blasting the woman in her face. “Whatever do you mean?” Adagio gestured towards the wendigos. “They chose to gorge themselves upon the native populace like it was a buffet.” She raised an eyebrow. Aria grit her teeth and whispered, ‘Damn you Irons,’ under her breath. ‘You best control your temper Miss Aria. You are delirious.’ Adagio whispered back to her bodyguard. ‘Did you forget that I was the one who saved and woke you up?’ ‘Who put me there in the first place?’ Aria sneered as she noticed the four wendigos in the room was starting to shift. They were beginning to become agitated from the secret dialogue between her and Adagio. “We understand our wrongdoing.” The wendigo Hybris bowed. “I will ensure that my brethren won’t make the same foolish mistake again.” She turned and glared at the other three in the room. “And of the rogue three currently on the loose?” Adagio raised her eyebrow. “I’ll take care of it Mrs. Irons.” Hypnos walked forwards. Her expression and demanor was stoic, without a hint of emotion within her voice. “I know how to contain them.” “Always the reliable one.” Zelus scowled, a sneer forming at the edges of her lips, her face scrunched in wrath. “Mommy’s little PET!” “Zelus enough.” Ninkasi rolled her eyes as she took a drink from her bottle. “You’re going to give me constipation with the bitterness in your voice.” The woman than tipped the bottle over her mouth and started to drink from it without taking a breath, “That’ll be a first fatass.” Zelus sneered. “Enough!” Adagio finally slammed her hand down upon the table, causing three of them to flinch, but Hybris stood firm. “I have called our benefactor and she has proposed a solution to our little problem.” She finally explained. “Chrysalis? What does she suggest?” Hybris asked, her hands interlocking with each other. “I wished to cut you off completely.” Adagio explained. “Finish the whole Anon-A-Miss project myself.” She sneered. “That’s how unreliable you all have become.” “Well fuck you too.” Zelus rolled her eyes. “But Chrysalis has offered a solution.” Adagio leaned back. “We can bring in the four. Their power and expertise will bring the plan into fruition.” “The energy expended will be enormous.” Hybris scowled. “Is my plan not sufficient enough? The energy that will result from it will be enough from everyone. For us …for the changelings …and for your little witchblade” The lady scoffed. Adagio narrowed her eyes. “My use for the energy is of my concern only.” She scowled. “Your plan has been compromised, our time frame has moved up especially now that the cops are investigating ChangeData.” She opened up her arms. “Chrysalis isn’t happy, and you know what happens when she is angry.” Hybris bowed her head, but with apprehension and thinly veiled rage. The plan was her work, and she was proud of it, it was connected to her pride after all. “Who do you propose to be the subjects to be?” Adagio smiled and turned towards Aria. “Yes …the subjects.” She looked up at the ceiling. “Who were the volunteers again? You were …tied up when I was discussing the new plan.” She smiled. Aria scowled. “I believe they were the Canterlot Movie Club …and Diamond Tiara.” She finally answered. She looked at the wendigo Hybris and saw the woman stiffen, hearing the last name. She smiled, she had offered Diamond Tiara knowing that it would hit her hard, and glanced at Adagio, who also seemed to do a double take. This wouldn’t go well with Hybris and they both knew that, and she was the closest to a leader of the seven. It wasn’t much, but it was the best she could do to get one over Adagio at the moment. “Diamond Tiara?” Adagio muttered in surprise before turning towards Hybris who was wringing her hands. “Ah yes. Diamond Tiara. Of course her.” She nodded before raising an eyebrow. “She will be a great host. This won’t be a problem will it Hybris?” The wendigo shook her head, but with apprehension and stiffness in their neck. They looked down, their face twisting, as if there were two minds warring with each other. “No …it won’t be a problem Mrs. Irons.” “Perfect than!” Adagio clapped her hands. “And if this doesn’t work …we can always use other freshman from the school.” She sat there as silence permeated the room. “That was a joke.” “What about the witchblade?” Hypnos asked. She looked stoically at Adagio while Aria flinched and started to shift in her seat. “Have you found who she is?” Adagio wrung her hands before nodding. “Yes.” “Will you tell us?” “That concern is mine only.” Adagio scowled. “In fact it is a good thing the only person in this room other than me is Aria because knowing you four you would mess up any plan I have.” She glared at Ninkasi. “When can you make her a non-threat?” Ninkasi scowled. “We have had bad experiences with the witchblade before …and would appreciate it if we weren’t skewered by her.” The wendigo snarled as she reached into her stomach and procured out a bottle. Adagio gave a sly smile under her mask as her eyes focused on the four wendigos. “I have a plan for her. One way or another …either she or the witchblade will be under my control.” Witchblade Sunset sat in her room with her laptop open in front of her. Gilda laid on her bed while tossing a ball up in the air. The girl was obviously tired and full from the massive breakfast, lunch and dinner they had thanks to Adagio earlier that day. When Sunset and Adagio realized they couldn’t finish, they decided to take it home so as to not waste food. They ended up needing a cart to move the treats back home which they borrowed from Mrs. Cake. When Luna and Celestia got home, they were greeted by the sugary treats which filled up their fridge. Sunset explained the whole thing to them and they agreed to help finish it up. It turns out that Celestia could eat lots of sweets, way more than Sunset could, and she ate it with a bit too much enthusiasm. She then went into a food coma, with a very grouchy sister looking over her. Sunset took out the card Adagio gave to her and analyzed it. It had the womans name, phone, and company name written upon it. She let out a sigh and put it to the side as she looked at the page in front of her which gave the details of the company. They mostly dealt with the utilities, and they had control of many which somehow didn’t break any laws. Other than that, this world’s Adagio Dazzle looked clean. She didn’t seem to be associate with any criminal activities or any controversies. In fact, she donated a lot of money to different charities on the daily basis. She seemed to be quite the upstanding citizen in this world. She had also tried looking into Nottingham and who the woman was. Apparently she was a notorious assassin who struck fear into those she hunted. She was known for assassinations, assaults against entire gangs, and for her ties to yakuza. It didn’t help that nobody knew her true name, or who she truly worked for. “So I was thinking.” Gilda muttered groggily. “What if it was your friends. Like Rarity.” “What …why?” Sunset scoffed. “Well someone had to get the photos from your phone.” Gilda scoffed as she caught the ball she was tossing. “And she has a motive …and the means to do so.” “What would her motive be?” Sunset turned around to look at Gilda. “Well …didn’t you cause her dress to fall apart during the spring fling that one time?” Gilda asked. Sunset froze as the memory came back to her. It was painful, and she had tried to push the memory to the side, but now, it stared her in the face. “I mean …it was hilarious.” Gilda snickered which earned a glare from Sunset. Gilda cleared her throat and continued. “But …I’ve seen Rarity. That girl can hold a grudge. What better way to get back at you than frame you for a crime you didn’t commit.” She coughed. “She forgave me.” Sunset muttered. “For someone who forgave you, she was quite quick to dump you.” Gilda sat up from the bed. “Listen. They aren’t your friends. They only pretended to forgive you as a favor to some exotic princess from another continent.” Sunset raised an eyebrow. “Where did you hear that?” She asked. “Pinkie Pie told that story to everyone.” Gilda explained. Sunset couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Out of anyone who could make up such a story, it would in fact, be Pinkie Pie. “But what would she get out of it?” Sunset asked. “Satisfaction.” Gilda shrugged. “Revenge. Euphoria.” The girl let out a sigh. “Take it from me …people don’t need that much of a motivation for crimes.” Sunset looked up at Gilda and saw the girl had her head hung low. She looked to have the whole world upon her shoulders at the moment, and her eyes were staring straight into the ground. “Want to talk about it?” Sunset asked, getting Gilda’s attention. “What do you want to know?” Gilda grumbled, twiling the ball in her hand around. “When you tried to change …what happened?” She asked. “Who attacked you.” Gilda paused and looked away. Sunset saw the girl’s arms sag, her hand go limp. She knew at that moment that she had hit the nail on the head. “High schoolers are fucking bloodhounds. They sense weakness, and they come rip the person to shreds. Look at what they did to Diamond Tiara” Gilda turned back and looked Sunset in the eye. The girl’s eyes were weary, tired, and heavy, Sunset could see that this wasn’t easy. “Sometimes …I-I wonder if it was even worth it.” Gilda choked. The girl wiped her eyes. “What’s the point of trying to change if people will just line up to beat you down the moment you let your guard down?” She sniffed. “Shit …” She cursed as she looked away again. Sunset got up from her chair and walked over to give the girl a huge. She pressed her face into the girl’s jacket, and could feel their chest heave up and down. “I’m sorry.” Gilda muttered. “For what?” Sunset asked. “For being weak …” Gilda hung her head down. “How can I protect anyone if I can’t even protect myself.” She muttered. “I know how hard it is.” Sunset sighed. “How hard it is to get people to forgive you.” Sunset felt Gilda nod so she pulled away from the girl. “But that’s not why we change.” Sunset smirked as Gilda turned back around to face her. “We change because it’s the right thing to do. Because we want to be better …whether they choose to forgive us or not …that is beyond our control.” She whispered. “So we just take the beating without fighting back?” Gilda scowled. “No.” Sunset looked up and gripped the girl’s shoulder. “We find others who are like us …and we help each other.” Gilda looked up at Sunset, who just smiled. “We stand there with them …and they stand there with us.” Sunset placed a soft hand on Gilda’s cheek and gently brushed it. “I won’t abandon you Gilda Grimshaw. I’ll be there for you …you can be certain of that.” Gilda gently grabbed Sunset’s hand and leaned into it. She closed her eyes and let out a soft sigh. “Thank you for that miss Shimmer.” The girl gave a small smile as she gently laid down in the bed. Sunset couldn’t help but smile as she pat the girl gently on the back. She got up and went back to her laptop and looked on the screen. She looked down and glanced at the card in front of her which had the address to Adagio’s company building. She clicked her tongue as she tried to decide what to do tomorrow. }}}I don’t trust that woman. She is too suspicious.{{{ ‘What choice do we have?’ Sunset asked in her mind. She turned back towards Gilda. ‘We don’t have many allies …and it’s obvious she knows something.’ }}}We must proceed with caution and not rush in head on.{{{ ‘I’m always careful.’ Sunset smirked. }}}Really? Like that time when you rushed in to fight several students assailing the girl, Diamond Tiara?{{{ Sunset froze in place. ‘You can see my memories?’ }}}I can. I do not like what I see. I am not happy seeing my wielder letting her be subject to beatings and torment, mental and physical.{{{ Sunset shook her head and let out a sigh as she collapsed in her seat. ‘If you can see my memories, then you should know I deserve it.’ She looked out the window. ‘I was a demon back then.’ }}}And then you changed. You saved their lives and fought of the three sirens. Why do you roll over and accept their transgressions?{{{ ‘Because I am better than them.’ Sunset looked down at her arms which had many scars from the multiple altercations she had found herself in after Anon-A-Miss. ‘I will not stoop to their level.’ }}}There is a difference between aggression and self-defense. If they attack you again, I must implore you to defend yourself.{{{ ‘I’ll be fine.’ Sunset thought to herself as she looked at the screen of her laptop one more time. The image of Adagio Dazzle in her mask sat in front of her. Her name was the Iron Lady of Canterlot, but the reason behind that name was puzzling. There were some legends she managed to dig up in the past, but it all seemed to be hearsay. }}}I hope so.{{{ Sunset closed her laptop and got up from her chair. She walked up to Gilda, who looked to be in a food coma like Celestia. She smiled, glad to see the girl taking a break, she was always so up in arms about it. She reached around the girl and took off her jacket and put it to the side. The girl looked too comfortable to move, and Sunset didn’t want to disturb her. Gilda was wearing a white crop top under her jacket. Her brown skin shimmered in the light, her toned muscles and rough skin showing the years of toil it had gone through. She wore a pair of blue jeans which well worn, and loose. Her face was a bit rough and had a rugged surface, with a firm jaw, but it also had a certain elegance to it, well formed and shaped. Her white hair with a purple streak helped with the imposing air she gave off, but Sunset found it graceful in a way. Sunset wondered if she should get the girl’s pants off, but decided against it. She instead opted to just take off her shoes, and drag her up so her head rested on the pillow before putting the blanket over her. She then went off to change her clothes to her nightgown and prepared to go to bed. She thought about sleeping downstairs on the couch and letting Gilda rest, but one, she would probably be chewed out by Gilda. Two, the bed was extremely comfortable. Sunset shrugged and shut the lights in the room before crawling in bed with the girl. She grabbed an extra pillow from the closet and laid right next to her. She could feel Gilda’s heavy breathing as she laid there, staring up at the ceiling. “Sunset …” Gilda muttered before letting out grumble and rolling over. Sunset let out a sigh and rolled to the side away from Gilda to give the girl some privacy. She was then promptly interrupted by having the girl suddenly wrap her arms around her. “Don’t leave …” She muttered. Sunset held her breath as she felt the girl’s heavy breathing on her neck. She started to sweat as she tried to ignore Gilda’s mumblings. She felt the girl let out some sobs and slowly held Gilda’s hand which seemed to stop it. “I’m sorry Gallus …I’ll do better …” Gilda finally sighed. “I have another chance …” The girl muttered. Sunset felt Gilda grip her hand and hold onto it tightly. }}}You should consider this girl for a mate. She is quite reliable.{{{ Sunset couldn’t help but blush. ‘W-what?’ }}}She handled the changelings pretty well. She’s reliable, she’s attractive, and she cares about you. She meets all the requirement for an adequate partner for a witchblade wielder.{{{ ‘Did you comment on previous wielders choice in partners as well?’ Sunset asked while trying to fight off her blush. }}}Yes.{{{ ‘Did they appreciate it?’ }}}Them trying to ignore my helpful advice is on them. I advise you to follow mine.{{{ Sunset rolled her eyes. ‘Whatever.’ Before shutting her eyes and falling asleep. Witchblade Sunset stood in a long golden hallway with a pair of gleaming double doors at the end of it. She heard a voice call out to hall, speaking to her very soul. It was a stern, but dignified voice, with a degree of civility to it. “The witchblade may make you feel powerful, but it takes away more than you could ever imagine.” The voice spoke to her. She felt compelled to walk towards it, and found herself approaching the double doors at the end of the hall. “Where am I?” Sunset asked out loud as the doors of the hall began to open up towards her. It revealed memories of her time as the witchblade, her reign over Canterlot High, and then her banishment from the castle. “Within you …or rather what you can be.” The voice answered. “This is a part of you.” “I don’t understand.” Sunset muttered, a feeling of lightness feeling her, as if she was floating. She couldn’t help herself as she felt a tug at her very soul dragging her towards the double doors. A feeling of relief washed over her mind as the doors opened, letting out a bright light with a figure in the middle. It was in the shape of a tall woman with a sword sitting upon her back, with a mask over her face. Sunset was pulled through the door and abruptly found herself in a small room which looked like an office. There stood the masked woman, Nottingham. Aria Blaze smiled as she approached Sunset, her hand outstretched towards the girl. Sunset felt the witchblade cover her in armor, and a blade formed at her arm which she pointed at the woman. Aria simply smiled as she watched the witchblade suddenly disappear, leaving Sunset in the nude and vunerable. She took another step forwards as Sunset covered her breasts as a dress suddenly appeared and covered her. It was a crimson corset over a white dress which stretched from her neck all the way down, and flowed from her body and into the floor around her. Her stuck up in the air, radiating energy, lighting up the air around her. The white of her eyes were black, her turquoise pupils sticking out with a ruby hue around her eyes. Aria lifted Sunset’s chin up and leaned forwards as her heart pounded in her chest. “You need my help. I can relieve your burden and give you comfort nobody else can.” She whispered as she softly brushed Sunset’s face. Sunset couldn’t help but lean into the woman’s hand before letting out a soft sigh. “But it is a burden only I can bear.” Sunset croaked as a feeling of warmth washed over her. “I’m so tired, but I must. For the good of my family, of my friends. How can I ever live knowing I endangered others?” She sniffed before looking away. “How can I ever live knowing I didn’t help a girl when I could have?” Aria whispered as she brought Sunset’s eyes back to meet hers. “Someone who could finally understand me …who is my equal.” “But I don’t even know who you are.” Sunset whispered as she leaned forwards. Aria paused, and without hesitation, slowly reached over towards her mask and took it off revealing her face. Her purple hair flowed from her head and over her shoulders, her violet eyes looking into Sunset’s turquoise pupils. She smiled and leaned forwards, her lips and Sunset’s almost touching each other. “I once took an oath to only show my face to those who are worthy.” Aria whispered. “I would follow you into hell itself.” “But why?” Sunset asked while shaking her head. “Because our connection is something …that will last-” Aria started until the double doors slammed open, a blinding light escaping from it. The two turned to stare at what came through until- Witchblade “FOREVER!” Aria Blaze shouted as she sat up in her bed, covered in sweat. She felt her heart beat as she touched her lips, the sensation still there. The dream felt so real, like the girl was right in front of her. She looked to her dresser and saw her mask still laid on the top of it. She got up from her bed and walked over towards her mirror and stared at the reflection which looked back at her. She then turned around and walked to her dresser and took off the mask which sat on the top of it. Aria closed her eyes as she took in a deep breath as she gripped it in her hands. She then turned to look out the window as a name sat upon her lips. Aria gripped her heart to still it as she stared out into the night sky. She let out the name that sat upon it, which was barely a whisper. “Sunset shimmer.” Author's Note Hello there Hi As you can probably tell by now, but I am awful at writing fight scenes. I wasn't sure how to demonstrate the witchblades powers and make Sunset Shimmer fight off multiple changeling drones as well. Also, if you couldn't tell, I like the Gilda and Sunset Shimmer ship. The reason why I wanted to pair Sunset Shimmer and Gilda was because I wanted to make a theme about being better. Gilda is almost always portrayed as a complete sociopath at best and psychopath at worst. I think she deserves better than that, especially since in the show she got marginally better. Also we finally introduced the 7 deadly sins! It was so hard to find the names for the 7 demons. It took me forever looking up different gods from different pantheons, but I finally did it lads. I made the demons. As for the next Story Arc, I am trying my best to follow closely to the Kenneth Irons arc as close as possible, but I will be making some changes since it couldn't do a complete conversion.
(Case 1-3: The Masked Woman): The Queen and JesterSunset Shimmer sat a the table as she thought about the dream she had last night. The dream about the woman who had stabbed her, who attacked her, and who attacked her friends, and how she felt in that dream. She clenched her teeth down in frustration as she chastised her brain for making such fantasies about the person who almost killed her. She wanted to bang her head on the table when Gilda walked in, rubbing her head and shifting awkwardly. “So …” Gilda muttered as she sat at the table, sitting in front of Sunset. “About last night …” The girl mumbled. Sunset let out a snicker. “Was it about how your arms were around my chest and your face was in my neck?” She asked with a bit of a blush. Gilda’s face turned hot red as she turned away. “N-no it’s just …well I mean you are …look.” The girl stammered as she tried to get a sentence out, but failed spectacularly. “It’s okay.” Sunset smirked as she looked down at her bowl of cereal. “You warmed me up during the cold night.” She snorted. Gilda shook her head as she leaned back in her chair. “So. Are we going to investigate Anon-A-Miss today?” She asked, desperate to try and switch the topic to something else as quick as possible. Sunset paused for a second as she deliberated on what to tell Gilda. She reached for her glass of water and took a sip from it before putting it down. She took in a sharp breath before answering. “Not today. I have something else.” Sunset explained. Gilda raised an eyebrow as she leaned over the table. “Well. Then I’ll come with.” The girl offered. Sunset shook her head though. She didn’t want Gilda to get hurt or be endangered anymore than she already had. She couldn’t go to home anymore due to it not being safe anymore, so Sunset didn’t want to risk it. “No …it’s something I have to do alone today.” She explained. Gilda leaned forwards. “Out of the question.” She scowled. “We have people hunting us. It’s best that we go together.” “No it …it’s personal.” Sunset put her hands up before standing up. Gilda stood up with her, causing her to let out an exasperated sigh. “I appreciate your concern for my safety but I have it under control.” She tried to reassure the girl. “No!” Gilda snapped, causing Sunset to jump a little. “You are doing it again! Running into situations without getting a full view of what is going to happen!” The white haired girl started to pace around the room, grumbling before throwing a hand up. “What if where you are going is a trap?” “It’s not.” Sunset sighed. “And how do you know?” Gilda looked over her shoulder, staring Sunset in the eye. Sunset was silent as she tried to think of a reasoning without mentioning the witchblade, or how she snuck out at night and went over to save Pinkie Pie. She closed her eyes and sucked in some air before walking up towards Gilda before taking her hand. Gilda seemed surprised as Sunset grasped the girl’s hand into hers. “Gilda …trust me please.” She closed her eyes. “You can’t follow me everywhere. I know you want to but …I’m not helpless.” She reopened her eyes and looked Gilda in the eyes. “I’m not Gallus.” That seemed to be the wrong thing to say because Gilda’s expression immediately turned dark before yanking her hand away. She turned around, her head down, but Sunset could tell the girl was trying to conceal her rage. “You don’t know anything about him.” She growled. “I understand you lost people in your life.” Sunset tried again, but seemed to get nowhere. “But you can’t just monitor them forever!” She shouted. “It’s not healthy.” “I shouldn’t have told you about him.” Gilda snarled as she threw a hand up in the air. “Look at you, thinking that you’re somehow better than him.” “That’s not what I’m …” Sunset rolled her eyes in frustration as she swung herself around. “You’re just jumping to conclusions because you’re emotional.” She mumbled. “Jumping to conclusions?” Gilda let out a hoarse and low chuckle. Sunset turned around to see Gilda walking up to her. “You’re the one running into danger headfirst!” She snapped. “How am I running into danger?!” Sunset finally exploded. “I fucking saved you! I saved Pinkie! I helped save the entire school ” She roared, putting a finger on Gilda’s chest. “I don’t run into danger, it simply comes to me!” “Have you ever thought to, y’know, stop and analyze the situation first before rushing in first head on!” Gilda roared back. “How the fuck am I supposed to analyze a situation when it’s happening right there and then!” Sunset snapped back. She could feel a flame in her chest suddenly burst out, a spark that had been there since the whole Anon-A-Miss fiasco, finally deciding to explode now of all times. All her frustrations, being accused of a crime she did not do, all the torment she had to go through after the fall formal, and now being wrangled in by a girl who seemed determined to follow her everywhere. Deep inside, she knew that Gilda had good intentions, but she felt as if it was getting ridiculous at that point. “By sitting down and thinking for once!” Gilda finally snapped. “Dammit Gallus you’ll be the death …of me …” The girl suddenly shimmered down, her rage suddenly dissipating into grief as the two girls stood there. Sunset also felt her anger dial down as well as the two just looked at each other in the eye. “Gilda …I-I’m sorry.” Sunset muttered. “Just go.” Gilda muttered before turning around and standing in front of the breakfast table. “Gilda …” “Just go!” Gilda roared. Sunset’s hand fell to her side, but she honored the girl’s wishes and turned around to leave. She walked up to the door and grabbed her jacket off the clothes rack, but stopped at the door handle before looking behind her at the white haired girl who stood in front of the breakfast table. “I’m sorry about Gallus.” Sunset finally got out, but Gilda stayed silent. “But you can’t replace him with me.” She choked out. She turned back to the door, and opened it up. “I’m sorry.” She whispered before leaving the home, leaving Gilda with her thoughts. Gilda collapsed in the chair, alone at the breakfast table. With a shaky hand, she took out her phone and turned on the home page. There laid the photo of her and Gallus as ten year olds, smiling happily in a park. Tears dripped from her face as she tucked her head into her arms, and wept. Gallus was gone …and it broke her heart into two. Witchblade Scootaloo walked through the snow, nervously rubbing her mittens as she made her way to the Rich family estate. She wasn’t sure why Diamond Tiara called everyone for an emergency meeting so early in the morning, but apparently, it was important enough to skip school for the day. The girl had reassured her and the other two members of the Canterlot Movie Club that her mother handled their absence somehow. Scootaloo looked up and saw Sweetie Belle and Applebloom standing in front of the gates, both wearing their winter clothes. Their sisters had both made sure to cover them up as much as possible for the heavy snowfall that day. Sweetie Belle wore a purple and pink winter coat along with a violet scar around her neck. Applebloom wore a red, wool sweater and scarf over another jacket under it. “Have you two rang the bell yet?” Scootaloo asked as she stuffed her hands into her pockets. The two shook their heads as they nervously looked at the gates of the estate. The mansion was three floors high, and towered over them, looming like a bad omen. Its orange roof wasn’t visible under the snow which floated down gently from the clouds above. “We were waiting for you.” Sweetie Belle explained. Scootaloo shifted nervously in her orange fluffy coat and pants, and adjusted her beanie a small bit. “Wanted to go in as a team. Crusaders forever right?” The girl smiled nervously. Scootaloo nodded. “Y-yeah.” She nodded before inching over towards the intercom. She reached forwards, but stopped right in front of the red button that sat in front of them. She turned to the other two. “Do we trust her?” The girl asked. The other two shifted their feet, but nodded their heads. “Well Diamond Tiara has been making effort to change.” Applebloom nodded her head. “Ah trust her.” Scootaloo looked nervously at the intercom again, but took in a deep breath and steeled her resolve. The three knew what they were getting into when they made Anon-A-Miss, and they were ready to see it to the end, whatever it may be. She reached forwards and rang the intercom. A voice came through it as a camera opened up. “Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom I presume?” A feminine voice asked. The three nodded in affirmation to their names. “Wonderful. Please …come in.” The gate opened, revealing the large courtyard in front of the mansion. There was a large fountain in the middle with the driveway circling around it. Bushes shaped in the forms of animals lined the driveway with two ivory statues of ponies sitting in front of the marble double doors at the entrance. The Canterlot Movie Club (CMC) gingerly walked up to the front doors nervously as they tried to ignore the two statues gazes, feeling as if their eyes were following them. The double doors opened up in front of them revealing none other than Diamond Tiara. The girl smiled at the CMC as the three walked into the building, trailing snow behind in their footstep. They stomped off the snow from their boots as Tiara closed the doors behind them before locking it with a ‘click’. “So …” Scootaloo tried to break the ice. “Why did you want us here?” Diamond Tiara shuffled nervously as the three turned their attention to her. “It’s about Anon-A-Miss.” She muttered. “Feeling doubts?” Scootaloo rubbed the back of her head. “Yeah …I understand.” She muttered. “No …not like that …well a little but …” Diamond Tiara stammered before throwing her hands up in the air. She turned around and started towards the staircase. “Follow me.” She finally asked the three girls. Scootaloo started to feel nervous, and from how the other two were also shuffling their feet, she could tell they were feeling the same. Something wasn’t right the moment Diamond Tiara asked them to come to her home for an emergency meeting. She sounded scared, shifty and on edge, and it didn’t bode well for them. However, the three considered the girl their friend, or at least a very close acquaintance ever since the girl had started to change her ways. The three girls followed behind Diamond Tiara up the staircase and all the way up to the third floor. They walked through the carpeted halls, walking by the statues and painting which lined it. Decorative ceiling lamps illuminated the hallway above them, all of them crafted into the shapes of stars. Diamond Tiara stopped at a grayish pink door which she opened up into a large room. In the bank was a large magenta desk in front of a swivel executive chair which was currently empty. However, the object of attention was a black box which sat upon the desk. Scootaloo felt a sense of dread the moment she stepped into the room, a feeling of ill omen. She stopped at the doorway along with Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. They stared at the strange black box which sat upon the desk. It was jagged and rough, and it also seemed to glow at the edges. Somehow, Scootaloo could swear that the object was staring right at her, baring deep into her soul. “What’s wrong?” Diamond Tiara asked as she sat down at a crescent sofa near the doorway. In the middle was a small coffee table which coincidentally had all of their favorite drinks sitting on it. A jar of non-alcoholic apple cider for Applebloom. A large bottle of fruit-punch flavored soda for Scootaloo. A single bottle of sparkling lemon-lime carbonated water for Sweetie Belle, or as Scootaloo knew it as, discount lemon-lime soda, because that was all it was. The fourth was a bottle of pomegranate tea which Diamond Tiara shakily took and poured herself a glass. “Please …sit down.” Diamond Tiara asked, gesturing towards the other side of the sofa. It was hard to see, but Scootaloo could see fear on Diamond Tiara’s face. It was so slight, but the way she pressed her lips together, the way her pupil shivered, how her movements were slow …it was all a red flag. Tiara’s calm expression was forced, her demeanor spoke of someone being forced to dance like a puppet. She should probably turn and run. Dash down the many floors all the way to the entrnace and fly down the street as fast as her legs could take her. She could leave the entire place behind, look away, and cut off Diamond Tiara and hide away safely somewhere. Scootaloo could do that instead of walking forwards. What kind of friend would she be though? Rainbow Dash always spoke of loyalty, of being there for your friends in need. Diamond Tiara was obviously in need, and Scootaloo was never one to back away in fear when faced with danger …at least that’s what she believed. She thought to her idol, Rainbow Dash, wondering what she would do. Rainbow would run in there to help her friend, so Scootaloo steeled her nerves, and took a step in. Scootaloo decided to ignore the fact that Rainbow Dash left Sunset crying in the halls, but that was different because Sunset was a villain. She had never paid for her crimes, and Rainbow leaving the girl was good for her health, well that was Scootaloo's justification, and she didn’t want to think about it too much. “Ah have a bad feeling about this.” Applebloom muttered behind Scootaloo, but she followed. “I don’t want to linger for longer than I want to.” Sweetie Belle nodded. “But this sounds important, let’s hear her out.” The girl whispered back to the red haired girl. Applebloom nodded as she and the other two sat on the other side of the sofa. They sat there in silence and watched as Diamond Tiara slowly poured their favorite drinks into three glass cups. She then pushed the cups towards them and gestured towards it as if asking them to drink. Scootaloo hesitated as her hand hovered over the glass, wondering to herself if it was poisoned, or if her paranoia was getting to her. She looked up and saw Diamond Tiara drink down the entire glass in one gulp. She then grabbed the pomegranate tea bottle and held it up to her glass cup as if wondering if she should pour another one. Tiara then decided against it and just lifted the bottle up to her mouth and started downing it like it was the end of the world. Scootaloo gingerly took her glass and drank it down slowly, tasting every drop in case there was something strange within it. The other two girls did the same, and there they sat, drinking the day away on soda, tea, and non-alcoholic apple cider. The CMC finished first, and Tiara finished last after her bottle ran out. She put it down on the table with shaky hands, but more disturbance, tears flowing down her cheek. She let out a small hick before wiping her eyes. At that moment she finally broke down, hiccuping and sobbing while crying out indecipherable words. Scootaloo rushed forwards and grabbed Diamond Tiara’s shoulder gently with Sweetie Belle and Applebloom right behind her. “What is wrong Tiara?” Sweetie Belle asked quickly as Diamond Tiara wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry.” Diamond Tiara sniffed. “I’m sorry for dragging you into Anon-A-Miss …I’m sorry for everything.” She choked out. “What are you talking about?” Applebloom scoffed. “It was us three that made Anon-A-Miss.” The girl forced a smile as she placed a soft hand on Diamond Tiara’s other shoulder. “Don’t blame yourself for our idea.” Diamond Tiara shook her head. “But I made you three take it further.” She choked out. She let out a shaky breath. “I’m sorry …” The girl looked away, tears streaming down her face. “You should not have come …” She trembled. “What do you mean?” Sweetie Belle asked, her expression warping into fear before the room door slammed shut. All three of them jumped up in shock at the sudden slam behind them. Sweetie Belle rushed forwards, and pulled on the doorknob. “It’s locked shut!” She cried out. Scootaloo grabbed Diamond Tiara by the collar and lifted her up as far as she could. “What …what did you do!?” The girl roared in anger, her hand shaking as she tried to resist shaking Diamond. Diamond Tiara only let out another sob as Scootaloo tossed the girl to the side, slamming her into the couch. “Don’t blame my daughter.” A voice suddenly spoke out. The CMC looked over towards the desk in the room, and saw smoke condense at the chair. It formed a figure before a grayish pink woman materialized in the seat. Her expression was harsh, her jaw clenched, and stature was sturn. She wore an opal suit with golden rings around her collar and the cuffs of her sleeves. It was none other than Spoiled Rich, the matriarch of the Rich household. Spoiled Rich stood up, and the three girls rushed into the center of the room to face her. Diamond Tiara got up gingerly and walked up to the desk with her head down, her entire body quaking. “Diamond Tiara.” Spoiled smiled. “You did well.” “P-please don’t hurt them mother.” Diamond Tiara shook. “I did as you asked. Please dispel the rune.” The girl parted her shirt a little revealing the sigil placed over her sternum. The figure of a black peacock sat in the middle. “Of course.” The woman gave a cruel grin as she walked around the desk, towards the CMC. On her way, she picked up the black box off the top before approaching the three freshman who slowly backed away from her. “Spoiled Rich.” Scootaloo sneered. “What have you done to Tiara?!” She roared, holding her stance in front of Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. Her legs trembled no matter how hard she tried to still her frantically beating heart as adrenaline coursed through her entire body. Her brain screamed for her to run away, to pound at the door and cry out for help. “Scootaloo …ever the dissident.” Spoiled scoffed as she stood in front of the CMC. She glowered over them, her presence overwhelming them. Scootaloo was extremely afraid, there was no doubt about it. But she remembered what Rainbow Dash always said, that bravery was acting in the spite of fear, not the absence of it. “Whatever yah did to Tiara …” Applebloom stepped forwards. “We’ll stop yah!” She shouted. “How charming.” Spoiled Rich rolled her eyes. She then raised a leg to the side before kicking Applebloom hard into the war adjacent to them. Everyone in the room froze, with a sadistic grin plastered over Spoiled’s face. “Mother! You promised!” Diamond Tiara rushed forwards, but was quickly knocked into the desk with a kick so quick, it looked as if the wind itself slapped the girl away. “I lied.” Spoiled Rich shrugged. “The moment you associated yourself with …” The woman gestured towards Scootaloo. “With PEASENTS …was when you lost all respect from me.” The woman said while shaking her head. “DAMN YOU!” Scootaloo rushed forwards but was knocked by a heavy whiplash which slammed her into the door. She felt a sharp pain in her back which knocked the air out of her as she felt a doorknob slam into her spine. She collapsed into a heap, her head hung down as she tried to regain her senses back. “We are ABOVE THEM!” Spoiled roared at her daughter as Tiara shakily got up from the ground. Spoiled glared down at Sweetie Belle who shook, slowly backing up to the door, tears trailing down her cheek. The woman gave a smile as she slowly approached Belle. “Where is your pride Tiara?” Spoiled shook her head. She opened the black box in her hands which let out large clouds of black smoke. Sweetie Belle turned around and tried to run towards the door but was interrupted as a black tendril struck her through the heart spilling blood all over the ground. “Sweetie Belle!” Scootaloo cried out as she lunged forwards, tears in her eyes as she tried to grab ahold of the girl. She wasn’t sure what to do, but all she could think of was to grab Sweetie Belle and pull her away from the woman. A tendril struck her through the stomach, causing Scootaloo to cough up blood as four more grabbed each of her limbs. She was thrown into the ground and pinned there, as she felt the tendrils shove its way through her body. She convulsed in pain letting out a silent cry while gasping for air as her body felt as if it was being ripped apart piece by piece. In the corner of her eye, she witnessed Applebloom enveloped by a blanket of shadows which slowly tightened, crushing the girl in a cold embrace. Scootaloo let out a sob while Diamond Tiara looked on in horror at what her mother was doing to her friends. “Mother!” Diamond Tiara cried out before collapsing to her knee. “Why? You said you were just going to imprison them!” She wept as the CMC were slowly consumed by the shadows which billowed out from the dark box. “Daughter …I am imprisoning them in a way.” Spoiled Rich shook her head before reaching into the box and taking out a handful of darkness. She walked up to her daughter who hurriedly pushed herself away up against the desk. Spoiled grabbed Tiara by the neck and lifted her up in the air. Her daughter struggled and gasped for air as her chest moved unnaturally from the ribs she broke after being kicked. Spoiled gripped the angry spirit in her hands as she hesitated, staring her daughter in the eye. For a moment there, a bit of Spoiled Rich seemed to rebel against what she was doing. “I …I’m sorry Tiara.” Spoiled Rich forced out, her face twisting in a snarl as she looked to the side. “I never wanted …this …” The woman struggled as the words weasled its way out of her mouth. “I always thought …in your own twisted way …that you loved me.” Tiara sobbed as she gripped her mothers hand, trying to free herself from its grasp to no avail. The girl’s face was filled with despair as she stared into her mother’s blackened eyes. Spoiled Rich closed her eyes as she tried to force the words from Tiara out of her mind. She could feel Hybris berating her for hesitating, for showing weakness, for letting slip her pride for a single second. The mother shed a single tear, as she forced the demonic spirit into Tiara’s mouth, finally silencing the girl. Witchblade Adagio Irons sat in the conference room with Filthy Rich, Blueblood, Mortuus Amore and Storm Haven. She was tired of the whole meeting as her mind wandered elsewhere. She listened as each one of them made her differing offers with different prices for their business deals. She shifted her mask into a more comfortable position as Filthy Rich went on his presentation on why his oil should cost 16 million dollars when it was worth way lower. To everyone in the room, she was known as the Iron Lady of Canterlot, and she was to remain stoic, her voice calm and collected in order to maintain her appearance. However, everyone in the room thought she was the original Iron Lady’s descendant and therefore would be more gullible. It was difficult to live an immortal life, forced to fake your death every couple of years, but she managed it. “Listen Mister Rich.” Adagio put up a finger. “I am sure we can make a deal about your oil.” She started. However, a certain figure caught her attention. There was a woman peaking around a corner with red and amber hair flowing down and over her shoulders. A small bracelet sat upon her wrist, with a red gem upon it. “Excuse me ladies and gentlemen.” Adagio got up from her chair, shocking the four business people in the room. “A friend dropped by and …” She looked over again and saw that Sunset had dipped back behind the hall. The woman smirked under her mask before sitting back down in her seat. “Apologies. Seems my friend is a bit shy.” She gestured towards Filthy Rich who stood there in front of the presentation board. “Please, continue.” Sunset meanwhile rushed down the hall in a panic as she dashed away. She had felt the woman’s gaze fixed upon her which was something she didn’t want to believe. Somehow, Adagio had noticed her while turned around, and meters away from her. }}}That woman is dangerous. We should leave now.{{{ Sunset heaved as she stopped at the elevator, pressing her hand against the wall. She let out a heavy breath before stabilizing her heart. ‘I am no stranger to magic. Adagio Dazzle from my world is a siren, it is possible this version has some access to magic as well.’ Sunset reasoned. }}}The more reason to get away from her.{{{ ‘But she saved me from the masked woman, the blade of iron or whatever her name was.’ Sunset argued. It was kind of strange arguing with the witchblade in her mind, but she didn’t want to sound crazy talking to herself. }}}I strongly object to this. We shouldn’t stick around.{{{ ‘Just let me think okay?’ Sunset shook her head as she pressed the elevator button. She stepped in and pressed the button on the panel for the first floor. She stood in the cramped elevator, her mind focused on the enigma that was this world’s version of Adagio. She wondered if there was an Aria and Sonata in this world as well, and if this world’s version of Adagio knew those two as well. The elevator reached the first floor so she stepped out. As she did, she heard a conversation being had from two people heading into the elevator next to her. Their faces was obscured but she could see their bodies moving past her. “So Miss Blaze…I heard you have a great sword collection.” A man’s voice was heard as the two people walked into the elevator. “Yes. However, my eyes are only on the blood sword which yet evades my grasp.” A familiar voice answered the man. Sunset’s heart stopped as she quickly turned around in the reception area as the elevator doors began to close. Fear filled her as her heart pounded in her chest. She would never forget the stern and foreboding voice of Nottingham. As the elevator doors closed, through the crack, she was able to see the woman. Upon her face was a mask, it was different from the one Sunset had seen, but it was undeniable. From the small crack she could recognize the posture, the violet and cyan hair color, and most of all, the jade suit. To make things worse, the woman stiffened up as their eyes met for two straight seconds. The two had seen each other, and for Sunset knew the other had recognized her. Sunset backed up before turning heel and running away. She wanted to get as far away as possible from the elevator, from the masked woman, from Nottingham. Her heart pounded in her chest as she ran off, fleeing as quickly as her legs could take her. She pushed through the crowd white taking momentary glances over her shoulder to ensure she wasn’t being chased. Despite never seeing anone, she only ran faster, feeling as if the Nottingham was right behind her. She eventually stopped in front of a coffee shop, dry heaving and panting from the sudden shot of panic that had run through her. She looked around and saw that she had run quite the distance away from the company building of ‘Iron Interational’. She looked around and recognized the part of city she was in, and she knew that she wasn’t far from SugarCube Cafe. After what she had seen, Sunset decided she needed a break. She walked the rest of the way towards the cafe, and when she finally reached it, she walked in and collapsed into the nearest seat that was available. She let out a heavy sigh as she buried her face into her hands. Mrs. Cake eventually approached her and asked what she wanted to drink. All Sunset asked for was a coffee. She then sat in front of her drink as she tried to break down everything that she had seen that morning. Adagio of this world had freakishly long vision, nearly had an encounter with the Nottingham again, and that wasn’t mentioning the bad argument she had with Gilda. She was so lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice the figure approaching her. A small strawberry and mango smoothie was placed in front of her. She looked up to see this world’s Adagio Dazzle looking down at her. The woman gently sat down in the seat in front of her and rest her hands on the back of hands. “I am flattered you came all the way to my office to say good day.” Adagio said as she placed two straws into the drink. The woman looked up at Sunset’s sullen expression. “What is wrong?” She asked. Sunset let out a scoff. “You know what’s wrong.” Adagio nodded slowly. “The witchblade is a terrible burden. I should know.” The woman leaned against her fist, her entire body relaxed as her head was turned up towards the ceiling. “How? Did you wield it?” Sunset scoffed. Adagio just shook her head. “No …” She whispered with sadness in her voice. “But I knew the person who did.” Sunset looked up in surprise as the woman looked down at the table. “Really?” She asked, her curiosity piqued. “Who was she?” Adagio tapped her fingers on the table and simply just let out a sigh. “She was a complicated woman.” The masked woman shook her head. “She was crass, abrasive, and rude as much as she was brave, strong, and loyal.” The woman’s voice seemed to lighten up a small bit as she looked up, her eyes staring off towards somewhere else. “Sounds like you cared about her.” Sunset straightened up as Adagio looked back down at eye level. “What happened?” Adagio stiffened up, and Sunset was worried that she had upset the woman when they finally spoke. It was hollow, empty, a void of a voice when Adagio croaked out. “What happens to every witchblade wielder eventually.” The woman tilted her head a bit to the side. “They perish too young.” Sunset stared down at the bracelet on her wrist. A small bit of dread crawled up her as the human fear of death finally remanifested itself after half a week of being in danger. She was prepared to sacrifice her life for her friends, but to hear that she was doomed to die shook her. A part of her wasn’t afraid, but another dreaded the idea that it was inevitable. “I’m sorry.” Sunset finally managed to get out. Adagio shook her head. “Don’t be.” She let out a heavy sigh as she leaned back in her seat. “It was a long time ago.” “Is that why you have been following me?” Sunset finally asked. “You just appeared out of nowhere when I was fighting that masked woman, Nottingham.” She raised an eyebrow as she squinted at Adagio. “You two also seemed to know each other now that I think about it.” Adagio let out a sigh before nodding her head. “Yes. She was an acquaintance of mine, but her obsession with the witchblade drove her to extreme lengths.” The woman shook her head. “I was upset with her, and had a small discussion after the event.” “Is that why she was in your building?” Sunset scowled, now glaring at the woman. “You know she almost killed me.” Adagio nodded somberly. “Despite her mistake, she is still my sister-in-arm. I hope you can find it in you to forgive her transgression against you.” The masked woman bobbed her head a little. “I understand if you don’t.” Sunset clenched her teeth, but managed out, “Fine.” She shook her head. “I’ll try.” Adagio nodded her head before leaning forwards. “I am here because I want to help you.” The woman finally explained. Sunset looked up and met Adagio’s eyes. Her voice sounded genuine, but there was something off about the woman, something hidden. “And how will you do that?” Sunset asked. Adagio opened up her arms. “I have something to show you. Will you follow me?” The woman asked. }}}Sunset. Think about this.{{{ Adagio placed a hand upon Sunset’s hand and gave her a soft smile. She felt a warmth emitted from the woman’s hand as it made its way up to her bracelet. The red gem glowed a bit before dimming down. “Can you give me a chance to explain myself at least?” Sunset froze at those words as she felt her resolve soften a little bit. She had asked those same words before during the beginning of the Anon-A-Miss fiasco. She knew what it felt like to not be able to explain oneself. So she looked up, gave a small smile and nodded. “Yes.” Witchblade Gilda scowled as she sat on the couch in front of the television. She rubbed her eyes as she tried to peel her mind away from Sunset, however, it kept making its way to her. She shook her head, trying to insist that it was Sunset who was being unreasonable, but a small part of her asked if there was some truth in her words. The girl got up off the couch and made her way towards the wardrobe in the living room. Principal Celestia had cleared the bottom drawers to make room for Gilda’s things and moved it downstairs for her. Gilda put her most precious belongings in the drawers since it had a lock, with one of them being a small black box she always kept with her. She took the box out and reached down to open it up before pausing. Bad memories rushed into her, causing her to flinch and shut her eyes. “RUN GILDA!” Gallus’s voice mixed with her parent’s. Her hand shook as she slowly opened the black box revealing the contents within it. A gauntlet with silver talons stretching out of its fingers sat above everything else. The rest was a small photo, a card, a silver pistol, and most important of all, Gallus’s spear tip. She reached in and took out the photo, thinking back to old memories. It was a younger version of her standing next to Gallus. The light blue boy had cyan and yellow hair with a navy sports jacket over a yellow shirt. He wore dark blue jeans and cobalt shoes with gold stripes along it. The boy had a shit-eating grin on his face and was missing a tooth. They had their arms around each other while facing the camera. Large smiles sat on their faces as an older woman stood behind them. The woman had dark orchard skin and a dark rose mohawk. She wore a dark purple military uniform with plum coloured lightening bolts stiched on her pants and jacket where the knees and elbows were. She had a suppressed smile, but her opal eyes sparkled. Her eyes shifted down at the card which sat at the bottom of the box. It read ‘Ogranization of Supernatural and Otherwordly Disasters’ upon it, or OSOD for short. Gilda scowled as she put the photo down and instead took out Gallus’s spear tip. She put it against her forehead and let out a sob as she remembered the days before the disaster. “I’m sorry Gallus.” Gilda sobbed. “I’m sorry I tried to replace you …to move on from you.” She let out a suppressed cough. “It’s just too painful.” Her crying was interrupted by the doorbell ringing. She put the speartip away into the box and shoved it into the drawer before locking it. “Who is it?!” She exclaimed loudly. “It’s me Gilda!” Sunset’s voice called out from the other side. “Sunset?!” “Fuck off!” Gilda scowled. “Come on! Don’t be like that!” Loud banging followed afterwards. “Why are you so mad?!” “You know why!” Gilda shouted. “Come on …I forgot my key!” More pounding on the door. “Please let me in?!” Sunset cried out again before the doorknob rattled loudly. Gilda rolled her eyes at Sunset thinking that somehow that by shaking the doorknob, it would magically open. “Why didn’t you bring your key with you?” Gilda snapped as she stood up from the floor. She walked up to the front door and leaned against it. “Don’t you always bring it with you?” There was silence from Sunset, and Gilda could hear shuffling from the other side. She raised an eyebrow as she looked through the peephole. In front of the door was Sunset idling around, shifting her feet and wringing her hands. There was something different about her though, something that made Gilda suspicious. “I thought your winter jacket was destroyed in the warehouse explosion.” Gilda said as she finally remembered what had happened a couple days ago. This seemed to catch Sunset off guard who twiddled her fingers. “W-well …I bought a new one.” Sunset chuckled as she tugged at her blue sweater. “Also …what happened to your jacket? The one you wearing this morning?” Sunset paused for a minute. “I lost it?” Before she gave off a sheepish smile. “Okay then …last question.” Gilda narrowed her eyes as Sunset stiffened up. “Come on …” Sunset whined but Gilda interrupted her. “One question, and I’ll let you in.” Gilda scowled. Sunset nodded sheepishly as pressed her legs together, and shuffled awkwardly. “Okay, I mean I don’t see why but I respect your decisions.” She mumbled under her breath. “Who is Anon-A-Miss?” Gilda asked. Sunset paused there as she put a hand up to her chin, rubbing it a bit. “Trick question.” She finally snapped her fingers. “You think it’s me, but it really isn’t me!” Gilda turned around and ran from the door, and dashed towards the dining room. She had left her phone in there, and needed to call the cops. She had to assume the cops outside guarding the house was dead at this point, and she didn’t want to take the risk. When she reached the table though, a figure dashed past her, and in a split second, her phone disappeared. “What the?” Gilda muttered before hearing the door click. She turned around to see a light magenta girl with light and pale blue streaked hail standing at the front door. She wore a bright grayish magenta jacket over pale orchid pants. On her wrists were two gauntlets which covered both of her hands. The girl opened the door wide open, letting a black, insect-like bipedal creature into the house. Gilda stepped back in shock as she noticed, that in the girl’s other hand, was her phone. “Gilda.” The insect stuck out its claws. “Calm down.” Gilda wasn’t listening at that point though as she made a mad dash over towards the wardrobe. Her reflexes sprung into high gear as she opened up the bottom compartments and took out the black box. She opened it up and put on her gauntlet as fast as she could. She stood up from the ground as fast as she could only to suddenly be pushed backwards into the wardrobe. She let out a squawk as a hand pinned her left hand, where her talons was on, and another hand pressed her neck against the wardrobe. The impact knocked the wind out of her, and the speed at which everything happened was blindingly fast. She looked down to see the light magenta girl looking up at her. “Silverstream! We are here to help her!” The insect-like creature scolded as it walked up to the girl. It placed a claw on her shoulder. “Let her go.” The girl scowled, but obeyed and let Gilda fall to the ground, gasping for breath. “I expected more from a Valkyrie.” Silverstream sneered before walking up to the black carapaced insect. “She’s all yours Thorax.” Thorax let out a sigh while Gilda slowly got up from the ground. “You okay kid?” The creature asked. Gilda scowled and swung at him, but he had enough reflexes to back off real quickly. “Woah. Okay …some hard feelings.” “Told you your plan sucked.” Silverstream rolled her eyes while she quickly paced around the room, up the stairs, back down the stairs, before spinning in the middle of the room. The girl’s attention span also had the tendency to switch from a painting to the room, all the way to finding a lighter and trying to set a banana on fire. “W-who are you people?” Gilda gasped as she shakily stood up. She looked at Thorax, noticing that even though the creature had a carapace, it bended and moved like a fluid, and less like skin or a shell. Thorax raised an eyebrow as he rubbed one of his tooth. “Don’t you recognize me?” The creature started to shift in front of Gilda, causing her to recoil back in shock. The creature shifted into the form of a man wearing a black leather jacket with spiked hair over the center of his head. He looked like the gang members that assaulted Gilda and Sunset back at the diner, but this one looked familiar in a different way. “Thor?” Gilda whispered. “Thor?” Silverstream chuckled as she quickly jogged up next to Thorax. “That’s your name?” The girl paced in place quickly, her legs moving up and down every second. “I’m not a creative person.” Thor scoffed while Gilda simply just glared at the creature. “You …” She hissed. Thor turned his attention back to Gilda, stepping back as the girl fumed at him. “You framed Sunset!” She snapped while taking a step forwards. Silver stream put her hands out and knelt down into what looked to be a combat stance. “I didn’t!” Thorax threw his hands up in the air. “Ok I provided some of the photos, but other than that I have no connections to Anon-A-Miss!” “Then who is she?!” Gilda snapped loudly. “Sunset is running off into danger due to this person!” Gilda turned away as she leaned against the wall. “It has affected her so much, she isn’t even willing to look for help.” “That may not be the reason.” Silverstream stepped forwards, getting Gilda’s attention. “Though I don’t know who started the account, I do know who is sponsoring it.” The girl explained. This caused Gilda’s heart to race as she approached the woman. “Who is it?” Gilda asked. Silverstream chuckled before turning towards Thorax. “See how easy it was?” The girl gestured towards Gilda. “You see, if we were just upfrom about all of this, this could have gone in a much more friendly fashion.” “The plan sounded good in my head …” Was all Thorax got before Gilda roared out- “Who the hell is Anon-A-Miss!” Getting both of their attention. “Well …you already met her.” Silverstream shrugged as Gilda’s expression turned to one of confusion, before switching into horror. “The Iron Lady of Canterlot City. Adagio …” Witchblade Sunset followed behind Adagio as they approached a pair of double doors. The woman opened it up, revealing a large gallery of different women, artifacts and weapons. Sunset opened up her mouth in wonder as she wandered in, nearly missing the two guards who stood on both sides of the door. The two guards wore black armor with spikes sticking out of the back. Their face was covered up in large obsidian helmets which only allowed their green eyes to glow through. They wielded large green spear whose tips crackled with energy. The two gripped their weapons before Adagio raised up a hand, causing them to stand down. “What is this place?” Sunset wondered as she started to look at each painting. “A gallery of some of the most famous witchblade users.” Adagio said with pride in her voice as she started to point at each of them. “These are some of the most famous witchblade wielders, whose name were written down as legends in history.” Adagio continued as she started to point at each of the paintings. Sunset followed the woman as she was directed at each one of the wielders. “We have Mulan, the defender of China.” Adagio pointed at a painting of an Asian woman who stood in front of a large dragon. She wielded two long swords, her arms were covered by the witchblade, but it extended around her neck and up to her face. Other than that, she was mostly covered by jade and red, cord and plaque armor. “Zara, the dreaded queen of bones.” The next was a painting of a woman wearing crimson armor. The witchblade seemed to merge with her armor, her arms were raised up with a manic smile upon her face. She stood on a mountain of corpses, holding the upper half of a man who looked to be covered in green and silver. Sunset cringed at the painting, as the woman’s expression reminded her of herself when she first won the spring fling. “And of course, Joan of Arc.” Adagio continued. However, Sunset noticed that she passed by one of the paintings and moved her hand over towards the last one. The painting she pointed at was a woman wearing medevil armor, with a sword raised up high. “I’ve never heard of these people before.” Sunset muttered as she approached the third painting. “How could that be if they were so influental?” She asked. “These were their secondary names.” Adagio raised a hand up to her chin. “I never understood it as well.” The woman looked up at the painting of Joan of Arc, her mask covering her expression, but yet she seemed lost in thought. “This one’s name was Noble Grace.” “I’ve heard of that name before.” Sunset nodded slowly as she turned her attention to the other two paintings in the room. “She was a Prench general who led them during the hundred year war.” She remembered from her history class. She pointed at the other two paintings in the room. “Is it the same for them?” She asked. Adagio nodded. “Mulan was known as Wood Orchid, and Zara was known as Radiant Flower.” Adagio let out a small chuckle as she nodded somberly at the two paintings. “It seems that many of the witchblade users had secondary names, their ‘true names’.” Adagio explained. “Do I have a ‘true name’?” Sunset snorted. Adagio simply shrugged in response. “Who knows. It’ll come to you one day if you do have one.” The woman teased. Sunset looked back at the third painting in the room that Adagio had passed by. It was a painting of a woman in golden armor who wielded a large golden spear and shield, with her boot fimly planted on the neck of a dead dragon. A large smile was plastered on her face as she raised her blood spear up into the air. However, Sunset noticed that there were two figures standing behind her, a woman with orange hair wearing medieval armor, and a man clad in black iron armor. “Who is she then?” Sunset pointed at the third painting. Adagio looked over her shoulder, and immediately her shoulders sagged. Sunset recoiled as Adagio slowly walked up to the third painting, her posture becoming stiff and strained. The woman’s breathing was shaky, as if holding back a sob. “Katarina Godlife, or what she was known as …Puresoul.” Adagio whispered. “She was always the reckless individual.” She sniffed. “Is …is that you?” Sunset whispered, pointing at the orange haired woman in the background. Adagio chortled. “Yes.” She nodded before pointing at the man clad in black iron armor. “And that is Spawn.” “When was the painting made?” Sunset whispered as she slowly turned towards Adagio. “During the third crusade.” Adagio nodded. Sunset took a step back, shock rippling through her as she tried to process the information. “About nine hundred years ago.” “H-how?” Sunset asked as she turned back to the painting. “Magic.” Adagio answered slyly, mischief hiding within her voice. “The holy grail itself.” “That exists?” Sunset asked with wonder. Adagio nodded as she walked up to three pedestals that were situated in the far back of the room. The objects on the three pedestals were each locked in a separate obsidian box. She opened the one on left, and took out a small, iroon, plain goblet. It looked like any other goblet, and could easily blend in on a shelf with cheap iron cups. “It looks so plain.” Sunset said as she took the goblet out of Adagio’s hand, looking at it with wonder. “Are you sure this is the holy grail?” She asked. “True objects of power, do not betray their worth in their appearance.” Adagio said with a lifted finger as she gently took the holy grail out of Sunset’s hand. She looked down at the holy grail with nostalgia as she gently carrassed it. “Even I could not believe it when I first laid my eyes upon it.” Sunset wrung her hands as she stared down at the object in amazement before gazing up in Adagio’s eyes through her mask. The woman’s eyes seemed soft and gentle, it reminded her of Princess Celestia’s gaze whenever Sunset spoke with her mentor. Adagio’s mouth eyes narrowed and moved up from Sunset’s chin, all the way up to her eyes. “Only those with pure faith could drink out of it.” Adagio explained before placing the grail back into its vault. “It granted me and my sisters immortality.” The woman closed her eyes before letting out heavy sigh. “I understood why many years later.” “What happened?” Sunset asked. “Immortality is a burden.” Adagio opened her eyes yet again. “You see so many people be born and die. Despite all your efforts, you can’t save them.” She shook her head slowly. “One requires faith and will beyond measure in order to be worthy of the gift.” “Why?” Sunset let out a scoff as she threw her hands up in the air with an exasperated smile. She turned towards the entire gallery in awe, laying her eyes on all the paintings of the other wielders in the past. “Why help me? Why collect all of this?” “Because I knew a witchblade wielder back in the day.” Adagio answered simply, waving a hand in the air. Sunset could see pain in the woman’s eyes as they placed a soft hand upon her cheek. “And I made a promise.” She whispered while brushing Sunset’s hair to the side. Sunset smiled as she looked into the woman’s eyes, not noticing the door at the side of the room creaked open. It was open enough for an eye to look through while remaining unnoticed, the figure’s face being obscured by a mask. Aria Blaze looked through the crack as she eavesdropped and spied on the two figures in the room. Aria narrowed her eyes, focused on the girl in the room. She stared at the girl, feeling an attraction, and obsession towards her. She wanted to jump out and strike at Adagio before confessing to the girl, but even she knew that was foolish. She had to bide her time and wait for the right moment. Aria knew that Adagio’s words were poison, venom seeping into the flesh and mind of the girl. She was presenting herself as a godly figure, a mentor, a savior to get the girl’s admiration, before then striking. Aria knew this because she had seen it play out hundreds of times before, and she was always the executioner. “The burden is immense Sunset.” Adagio finally told the girl. Sunset looked up in surprise, before it morphed into what looked to be annoyance. Adagio simply smiled at the expression. “Yes, I was able to figure out your name. I was able to figure out the name of your friend, Gilda, I can figure out yours.” “The burden is mine to carry.” Sunset looked away from Adagio, and taking a few paces back. “The witchblade yes, but not everything else.” Adagio walked up behind Sunset and hugged the girl. Sunset jolted at the sudden gesture, but didn’t pry herself away from the woman, rather putting a hand upon the woman’s arms. “Let me help you …please. I’m here for you.” There was a minute of silence before Sunset spoke up again. “Let me think about it.” Sunset finally muttered. “I don’t want to bring people into unnecessary danger.” “I can take care of myself.” Adagio reassured the girl as she let go of the hug. Sunset turned towards the woman, who just gave her a warm smile. “Whatever your decision is, I will respect it.” Yes, respect the decision as long as it is the right one, as long as it is the one that Gilda desires to be correct. Aria could see Adagio’s temptation, her impatience at seeing her prize so close to her, just within her grasp. She knew her sister long enough to see beneath the woman’s mask and gestures, to know what her true intentions were. “Why do you wear the mask? You didn’t wear it that night.” Sunset asked Adagio finally. “I made a promise to only show my face to worthy people.” Adagio answered. She reached up to her mask and slowly took it off to the shock of Sunset. A soft expression rest upon her face, with kind eyes who looked into Sunset’s iris. She brushed Sunset’s face with a soft hand who just stood there, staring at the woman with awe. “You like what you see, Miss Shimmer?” Adagio asked, causing the girl to look away in embarrassment. Sunset was sure that the woman was going to continue to tease her when Adagio’s phone started to beep. Adagio let out a sigh as she took out her phone. “Sorry …business meetings …” Adagio shook her head as she placed her mask back upon her face. “They will be the end of me.” Sunset smiled. “It’s okay. It was time for me to leave anyways. I’ve took enough of your time.” The girl said as she followed Adagio out of the gallery while Aria simply watched from the side door. “Sunset …” She whispered. Witchblade “Are you sure this is where you want to be dropped off at?” Adagio asked Sunset as they both stood in the park. Sunset looked out at the lake in front of them and gave the woman a small smile. “Yes.” Sunset nodded as she admired the view in front of her. The lake was always beautiful in the afternoon. The orange and yellow sunset reflected off the water, and it filled her with a warm feeling. “It’s a good place for me to think, to ponder.” She admitted as she sat down at a park bench. Adagio nodded in agreement. “I agree.” She whispered. “I hope you allow me to assist you Sunset Shimmer. I hope we’ll see each other again.” The woman bowed her head before starting to walk off. Sunset Shimmer remembered at that moment that she never gave the woman her phone number and address. She jumped up from the bench and rushed towards Adagio before grabbing the woman’s hand who had just turned around with a finger up. “Wait, let me give you my address at least.” Adagio raised an eyebrow as Sunset reached into her pocket and took out a small notebook she always made sure to keep on her ever since the Anon-A-Miss incident. She wrote her address before quickly handing it to the woman with haste. Adagio took the paper slowly and looked down at it before putting it safely in her front pocket. “My phone is currently destroyed, but I plan to get it replaced.” Sunset rubbed the back of her head nervously. “So if you need to contact me, you’ll need to come in-person.” Adagio nodded slowly. “I can manage that.” She said with a gentle tone. She then met Sunset’s gaze. “I wanted to ask if you wished to come to a ball tonight.” Sunset did a double-take at the sudden proposal. “W-what?” She asked while Adagio leaned against a tree. She stared out at the lake and let out a small chuckle. “I know it’s sudden, and you barely know me.” Adagio let a small laugh but ended it with a heavy sigh. “But if you could make it …it would be my honor.” The woman nodded. Sunset gave an awkward laugh as she looked out at the lake. “I’ll …think about it.” She muttered as she sat down on a bench which looked out at the lake. “When is it?” She asked. “It starts at eleven P.M.” Adagio answered. She walked off and Sunset watched the woman as she made her way back to her car. “I’ll send someone to get you.” Was the last thing she said before getting into her vehicle. She then drove off, the car disappearing down the street while Sunset watched. She turned back to the lake, taking in its natural beauty. She got up from the bench and began walking on the side of the bank while trying to sort our her feelings. It just seemed like everything was moving so fast for her. She looked down at her wrist where the witchblade rested. It was strangely silent, not saying anything during the entire time Sunset was with Adagio. She enjoyed the silence however, choosing to dwell within her own thoughts and take in the ambient atmosphere. She made her way around the small lake and found herself standing in a small Gazebo that sat over the water. She couldn’t help but smile as she leaned against the railing to take in the view. It didn’t last long before her senses perked up. She looked over her shoulder towards some bushes which sat behind the structure. Sunset narrowed her eyes as she focused intensely at the plantlife. She began to shake as she imagined Nottingham jumping out, and striking at her before taking her life. As nothing happened, she began to relax. Right then, a shadowy figure darted between the bushes. Sunset got up quickly, adremdaline rushing through her veins. She willed the witchblade to activate, but the metal only extended over her right arm, leaving the rest of her body exposed. ‘Witchblade! I need your help!’ She exclaimed in her mind to no response. She clenched her teeth as she hoped that the artifact still worked even without the entity inside being sentient. She pointed her finger and was about to shoot fire before she remembered what happened last time when she did that. She clenched her teeth, she had to be more creative, and find a way to get around the woman’s habit of absorbing her powers. Her imagination was the limit, so she imagined shooting darts out. Nottingham dashed out from behind a tree and rushed her down the path. Sunset clenched her teeth and fired out small metal darts at the woman’s chest. Despite Sunset being sure hitting Nottingham, the woman continued to rush her, tackling her into the ground. Sunset struggled as she tried to push Nottingham off her. The woman’s mask bared into her, its rough and twisted exterior mimicking that of a demon. “Don’t-unf-fight me!” Nottingham grunted before Sunset kicked her right in the womanhood. Sunset managed to slip out while her attacker began to regain her breath. She turned around to see that just as quickly as she had slipped away, Nottingham had disappeared. Sunset pointed her gauntlet out like a child playing with finger guns as she turned around looking for the assassin, her heart racing in her chest as memories of their last encounter rang in her head. “You play dirty.” Sunset heard behind her. She looked over her shoulder to see Nottingham squatting down on the railing. “I like that in a woman.” Nottingham jumped at Sunset with her arms raised up. Sunset formed a blade on her right hand and swung at the woman, who just simply ducked under it. The woman responded by kicking Sunset’s feet from under her, causing her to fall to the ground. Sunset began to get up, but Nottingham pinned her down, pressing her against the ground. Sunset struggled, but was pushed down again. Nottingham leaned forwards next to Sunset’s ear and hissed out. “Miss Shimmer, I just want to talk!” Witchblade After Nottingham let Sunset go, the woman spoke to her, telling her of the true nature behind Adagio Irons. Nottingham told Sunset that the woman was obsessed with the witchblade, believing it contain the soul of a woman named Katarina Godlife. Adagio believed she could bring back the wielder, and place the soul within a host through a sort of spell that could control the witchblade. Sunset looked away, not wanting to believe the woman’s words. Nottingham had attacked her after all, and Adagio had done nothing but help her, and give kind words the entire time. She clenched her jaw when Nottingham insisted that Adagio was the one who set up the attack on the Pie residence, and that she worked for Adagio. Sunset turned towards Nottingham. “How do I know I can trust you?” She asked the masked woman. She looked over her shoulder. “What about the warehouse? Why were you working with demons? Why were you working with changeling drones?” She demanded to know. “You know what changelings are?” Nottingham tilted her head a bit. Sunset nodded. “I have seen those insect like features before. I can recognize a humanoid changeling when I see one.” She clenched her jaw. “Why are you even helping me? You tried to kill me!” She exclaimed. Nottingham let out a heavy sigh. “I was overwhelmed by the power. We have both been tricked!” The woman stepped forwards causing Sunset to take a step back. “I do not tell lies. Adagio intended to use me as a host for Katarina, now she aims to make you into it!” Sunset snorted. “This sounds unbelievable.” “But it’s true.” Sunset shook her head, refusing to believe the word of this assassin. “And who even are you?” She snapped. “How would you know all of this? Why would you even work for Adagio?!” Nottingham paused for a second before reaching up to her mask. She took off the black steel mask, revealing her face. Sunset had to step back, seeing the woman standing in front of her was none other than Aria Blaze. “You …” She whispered. Aria nodded. “I am Aria Blaze. Sister of Adagio Irons and Sonata Dusk. Nottingham is simply a title I possess.” The woman stepped forwards and pinned Sunset against a wooden pillar. One hand pressed next to Sunset’s hand, and the other on Sunset’s chin. “I wouldn’t want to lose a pretty face like yours.” The last statement made Sunset grimace at the creepiness of her voice when Aria let it out. She pushed Aria away and looked away and turned to face the lake. “I can take care of myself. I was alone after Anon-A-Miss, but you know about that don’t you.” Sunset hissed. “I just took advantage of it.” Aria reasoned, but Sunset tuned the woman out. “Just leave me alone.” Sunset sneered. There was silence after that so Sunset looked over her shoulder to see Aria Blaze had left. It was as if she was never there, the only sign of her existence, being a gentle breeze passing by. Witchblade Sunset thought about going back to Celestia’s but decided against it. After all, she had made it awkward with Gilda. She felt bad using her dead childhood friend against her, and would have to make it up the girl tomorrow. For now though, she just wanted time to think about everything that had happened to her. However, Aria …Nottingham had given her a lot to think about. She hailed a taxi and decided that it would be good to go back home. As she sat in the taxi, she watched the scenery pass by. The sun was beginning to set, giving the sky a beautiful orange and red glow which stretched over her. She was so entranced, she didn’t even notice when the taxi made it back to her house. When she stepped through the front doors, she noticed how deserted her home looked. She let out a sigh and made her way towards her desk. The board of her investigation into Anon-A-Miss still stayed up there. She grabbed one of the photos and stared at it, thinking back to how she got some parts of her information. She remembered how bad of a headspace she was in during christmas time. Her obsessions into Anon-A-Miss had began at the beginning of winter break, culminating into violent tendencies. She had began shaking people down for answers, suspects into who Anon-A-Miss may have been. She ended up figuring out that Anon-A-Miss got their information from other sources, from people who sent her information. She got that after shaking down a couple of boys that she tracked down and fought before they let out their secret. She tracked them down after following Anon-A-Miss and keeping track of each secret they posted. Then she tracked on who could have possibly known the secret after some investigation, and then confronting them. If she wasn’t hated before, she was sure she had her fair share of enemies right now. “Sorry Shining Armor.” Sunset muttered as she put the photo back onto the board. “But I can’t give up the investigation. I am in it too deep now.” She turned around and walked up the stairs to her bed. She sat down on it and leaned against the window next to her bed. She let out a sigh as she looked at the gently falling snowflakes that trailed down from the sky. She then looked down at the alarm clock on the nightstand to see that it was now 5:00 PM. She turned back to the window, to continue pondering, but that was interrupted by a knock on her door. Remembering that she gave her address to Adagio, she quickly rushed down the stairs to the front door and opened it up. To her disappointment, it was another woman who wore a small pink dress that went down to her knees. In one hand, the woman had a brown paper bag, and in the other she held a think black box with a gold engraving upon it. “Sunset Shimmer?” The woman asked casually. “Um yeah …what do you need?” Sunset asked as she brushed some hair out of her face. “I was sent here by the Iron Lady to come receive you.” The woman said as she placed the brown paper bag on the floor. She extended out the black box and opened it up revealing an amber and crimson necklace sitting within it. “She told me to give you this.” Sunset Shimmer reached forwards and gently took the necklace out of the box. She looked at it with awe as the gems gleamed from the light within her home. “And she also got you this.” The woman reached into the brown bag, taking out a silver box. She opened it up revealing a fiery amber corset and pearl white dress. “She wanted you to wear it to the ball if you chose too.” Sunset was awed by the clothing in front of her, before looking back down at the necklace in her hands. It was beautiful, and looked to be carved out from the very surface of the sun itself from the way it gleamed in the ambient light from the doorway. “It was from Irons ex-wife.” The woman explained, causing Sunset to look up from the necklace in surprise from the statement. “I didn’t know she had a wife.” Sunset gave a weak chuckle. “It was a long time ago. Some even think it was from her great-grandmother. Whoever it belonged to is very special to the Iron Lady’s family.” The woman smiled. “She must really care about you to ask for me to deliver this to you.” Sunset smiled as she looked down at the necklace. “Never took the Iron Lady to be a hopeless romantic.” She chuckled. “It’s a secret only her friends know.” The woman smiled at Sunset. “Will you be joining us today?” She finally asked. Sunset looked up, and made her decision. “Yes.” Witchblade “Pick up!” Gilda shouted as she fiddled with her phone. The name ‘Sunset Shimmer’ sat upon the screen, the ringing going off, but with no response. The call ended, leaving only the voicemail as a result. “PISS!” She roared before throwing her phone into the couch. Gilda collapsed onto the couch, her head in her head while Silverstream lounged with a soda in her hands. “Bad breakup?” The girl mocked, earning a glare from the other silver-haired girl. “Bad time.” Silverstream pursed her lips as she looked away. “Fantastic. Stuck in a room with two mythical creatures.” Gilda gestured at Throax. “A changeling.” She then moved her hand towards Silverstream. “And a cyborg mutant.” “That is demeaning to my true power.” Silverstream snapped. Gilda flipped the girl off. “I can care less about your feelings. I’m worried about Sunset.” She grumbled as she looked through her fingers. “And what the Iron Lady ahs planned for her.” Thorax tapped his finger on the counter that divided the kitchen from the living room. “Well it can’t be that bad if all Anon-A-Miss did was spread some childish secrets.” The changeling shrugged. “We still don’t know what Adagio’s end goal is here though.” Silverstream grumbled. “What does she get from riling up a school?” The girl got up from the couch and started to pace. “And how did she even get access to the school’s inner workings.” “She has agents.” Thorax shrugged. “It’s not that simple.” Silverstream shook her head. “In order to get access to the school’s inner workings, understanding the student’s relationships, and information on the cliques …it requires an agent on the inside.” The girl rambled. “So a student works for her.” Thorax threw his hands up in the air. “She can pay off anyone.” “But who.” Silverstream rubbed her chin. “And why? What is their motive for helping Adagio?” “Money?” “It can only take one so far.” Silverstream shook her head as she leaned against the doorway. “And this account feels malicious, it doesn’t seem the work of someone who was just paid for it. People who are paid are likely to half-ass this.” “And this feels like it’s personal.” Gilda interjected, looking up from her hands. She let out a sigh. “So even if we get rid of Adagio, the account will continue.” Gilda scowled. “And we’re back to square fucking one.” “It’ll be a hit against Anon-A-Miss though.” Silverstream shrugged just as Gilda heard her phone begin to ring. Her heart jumped as she answered the phone while Silverstream finished her thought. “A big hit against Anon-A-Miss. They won’t have their financial support, and friend to cover their ass.” “Quiet!” Gilda snapped as she answered the phone. “Sunset! Where the hell are you!?” She shouted into the phone. “Sunset isn’t home?” Pinkie’s voice asked from the other side of the phone. “Pinkie? What do you mean?” Gilda asked. “I’ve been calling her all day! She hasn’t answered!” Pinkie cried out in a panic. “I heard from Mrs. Cake that she came by today, but after that she just disappeared!” “Fantastic. Hold on.” Gilda covered her phone and turned towards Thorax. “Sunset’s gone. She was last seen at sugarcube corner.” “Gilda!” Gilda heard Pinkie’s voice cry out from the phone. Gilda lifted the phone back to her ear. “Yes, what?” “And she said that Sunset went away with a weird woman! Someone who is called the Iron Lady!” Gida’s heart froze when Pinkie said the name of the woman Sunset went away with. “Sunset went away with Adagio Dazzle.” Gilda told Silverstream and Thorax. “That’s not good.” Thorax walked around the counter. “Whenever Adagio wants something, it’s never any good.” The changeling said. “We need to go if we want to rescue her.” Gilda nodded. “Agreed.” She began to stand up, but was stopped by Silverstream. “Do we really have to though?” Silverstream asked, earning a wrathful glare from Gilda and Thorax. “Hey! We were just assigned to just protect Gilda!” The girl raised her hands up. “And to protect anyone else in Adagio’s sights!” Thorax snapped back. Silverstream let out an exasperated sigh as she sat up from the couch. “You know he just added that because of my failure at the warehouse.” She snorted. “Next time, stop drinking on the job!” Thorax snapped. “Wait …who are you talking about?” Gilda asked, an arm outstretched to Silverstream. Silverstream pursed her lips. “My boss …his name is …gallant.” She said hesitantly, taking her time on each word. She nodded when she said the name with a confident smile. “Yes. Gallant. You don’t know him.” “That name sounds awfully familiar.” Gilda started, but Silverstream jumped up from the doorway. “So rescue Sunset Shimmer!” Silverstream loudly exclaimed. “Let’s go do that. How about we continue this conversation never!” The girl shouted before dashing off. Gilda rolled her eyes before lifting her phone back to her ear. “Listen Pinkie. I’m going to go get her. Stay put.” The girl ordered the party girl. “What? But I want to help!” Pinkie protested. “I already have to deal with one hot-headed girl, I don’t want to have to deal with another!” Gilda exclaimed before hanging up. She put on her talon gauntlet upon her right hand before she turned towards Thorax. “Come on! We have to go!” Thorax nodded, finished a drink off the counter and followed behind Gilda. The two walked out the house to see Silverstream in the driver seat of a light magenta car. It looked to be an older model with its boxy looking exterior. The two approached the car, but was stopped by two police officers, the two who were seated in front of the house. “Where are you going? It’s almost past curfew?” One of the police officers asked. “Sunset is in danger.” Gilda explained as Thorax walked past her and stepped into Silverstream’s car. “I have to go help her.” “Damn.” One of the police officers muttered. “Yeah, that was our suspicion as well. We called in the office. Let us handle it.” They said. “No, you don’t understand, we don’t have time!” Gilda exclaimed as she tried to push forwards. The two police officers stopped her again, in her tracks. “Madam listen, there is an assassin out there swinging a sword that can cut through metal. We don’t need you running into-” The police officer never had time to finish his sentence because gilda grabbed the man by his collar with her talons. “Listen, I'll be DAMNED if I let a girl die when I could’ve done something about it! I’m going to save her if it’s the last thing I do!” Gilda pushed the officer to the side nearly flinging him into the cop car with unnatural strength. As she did so, she felt energy course from her right hand, the one she had put strange artifact on in the warehouse. Gilda walked over towards Silverstream’s car and opened the door. “Sunset Shimmer is at the Iron Lady’s home! Either help or get lost!” Gilda snapped before stepping into the vehicle. “So …where to?” Silverstream asked as Gilda sat in the front passenger seat. “Where is the Iron Lady?” Gilda asked. “Good question.” Silverstream started up the car and moved into the street. “Let’s start at the lady’s home.” The girl said as the car streaked down the street with a loud shriek. “And if she isn’t there?” Thorax asked. “Then I tear up the place.” Gilda swore as the car sped down the road. “I won’t lose another, not again.” Author's Note Hello there Hi. For this chapter, as you can see, I have plans. Plans for the crusaders and Diamond Tiara. EVIL DASTARDLY PLANS. I really wasn't sure how to write this scenes. Fun fact, Indigo and Lemon zap were originally supposed to make an appearance here. They were there to deliver the box to Diamond Tiara's mother to summon out the three demons but the story got too bogged down and too complicated so I had to cut that snippet out. The scene between the crusaders and Tiara were meant to symbolize one final drink before damnation. Now that I reread it, it is a bit clumsy, but I think I got the point across. The three are now deep into the Anon-A-Miss conspiracy. As for the conflict between Sunset Shimmer and Gilda, I drew that from the conflict between Sarah and her partner in the original Witchblade story. It was a bit ...forced ...but I plum ran out of ideas on how to push the story forwards so that's what happened. The scene between Adagio and Sunset basically was how the original panned out in the comic. Fun fact, the reason why Kenneth Irons is immortal is because of the HOLY GRAIL. I couldn't believe it as well, but apparently he and his son is immortal because they were crusaders and found the holy grail and drank from it. The witchblade story can be wild. The scene between Aria and Sunset is how it plays out in the comics. Nottingham gets pissy because he was tortured and immediately became turn coat.
(Case 1-4: The Masked Woman): For the GlorySunset Shimmer sat in the crimson limo, unable to sit still as it pulled up to the curb in front of the large, lit up mansion. She awed at the ivory columns, the marble floor, the pearl white walls and stone statues. People lined the walkway, talking and socializing while making their way towards the open double doors. The tiled walkway, the silk curtains, all of it reminded Sunset of Canterlot back home at the palace. “We are here.” The driver announced. Sunset took in a deep breath before stepping out of the limo with Iron’s servant. The older woman smiled as she took Sunset’s hand and lead the girl down the walkway, passing by many of the night’s ball participants. All of them wore masks which covered their face, each one detailed with paint and carvings in the shape of different animals and creatures. Sunset shyly touched her own mask, one in the shape of a phoenix. The feathers were carved into each cheek, the beak and eyes over her nose and forehead. Many of the woman in the crowd smiled and gazed at her as if she was celebrity, or a goddess manifesting herself on the planet. It caused a bit of her old pride to flare up as she brushed her curled hair to the side. “Who is she?” “Marvelous.” “Inspiring.” Those were some of the words Sunset heard, and it made her nearly want to break into tears. The entire winter break, she was berated, insulted and accused of being Anon-A-Miss by other students and even her own friends. Yet here, among strangers, she was being praised, awed, and admired by everyone. It gave her memories as a foal during her times with Celestia at balls. Even then, those were glares of jealousy, and she was constantly insulted behind her back by nobles who thought she could not hear their words. At the gala, everyone constantly gave her back-handed comments and found every opportunity to push her down and criticize her to elevate their own status. Yet in this ball hosted by Adagio, she felt at home, and not a stranger in one of the few moments of her life. When she walked through the double doors, she could see Adagio with a fiery orange and purple suit talking with a dark cyan skinned man. Her two guards stood next to her with their iron gazes focused forwards. The man wore a black tuxedo which had spikes down the middle which matched up nicely with his spikey hair. The mans eyes were vivid opal in color, and he seemed to be in deep conversation with Adagio. The rest of his face was covered by a mask with the talons face of an ant carved upon the surface. “Why who do we have here.” The man immediately turned his attention to Sunset Shimmer. He walked up to her before lifting up her right hand and politely kissing it. “What may your name be?” He asked. Sunset Shimmer invoked all of her training with the nobility when she was a foal studying under Celestia to act like a proper lady, at least what was deemed proper in Canterlot. She hoped dearly that those mannerisms also were mirrored in this world as well. “Perhaps this lady can know the gentleman before she reveals her secrets?” Sunset smiled. The man grinned and bowed. “Pharynx at your service m’lady.” He looked up. “So bright …like the sun itself.” He covered his eyes jokingly and looked away. “It is so blinding …a mortal such as me cannot bear lay my eyes upon such beauty.” The man said in jest. Sunset let out a scoff and gently took the man’s hand. “Oh please, you flatter me too much, it’ll make me blush.” She laughed as Pharynx straightened himself back up. “A worthy praise for someone such as yourself.” Pharynx smiled before Adagio got in between them. “Sunset. I see you have met my useless friend Pharynx.” Adagio smiled as she placed a hand upon the man’s shoulder. Pharynx snickered. “You’re the hopeless romantic.” Pharynx pulled Adagio close, much to the woman’s chagrin. “Did you know she chased after a woman for ten years without any success?” The man laughed. Adagio covered her eyes with her hands and pushed the man away who continued to laugh. “You’re hopeless.” Adagio scoffed. Sunset couldn’t help but smile at the two’s banter as they laughed it off like old friends. Adagio took Sunset’s arms and pulled her forwards. “Care for a dance?” Adagio asked Sunset. Sunset couldn’t help but smile. “Can you keep up?” She whispered. Adagio let out a hearty laugh. “You are challenging the wrong person Miss Shimmer.” The woman warned as she pulled Sunset along into the middle of the ballroom. There were other couples there, but they took the center stage. The took each others hand and shuffled around like the other couples while taking in the smooth music in the background. Adagio’s guards stood on the edges, but Sunset didn’t give them much mind. “You are beautiful …” Adagio started before pausing. “I …see that you are wearing the necklace.” The woman continued after some deliberating. Sunset smiled. “I never knew I was so important to you.” Adagio let out an awkward laugh. “I guess it was quite heavy handed.” “Why didn’t you send it to me yourself?” Sunset asked, curious as she watched the woman struggle internally. Adagio shifted a bit before answering. “Because I knew if I saw you …I would be speechless.” She finally answered. “That was how Pharynx was able to mess with you …I-god this is embarrassing …I was too stunned and froze there.” The woman finally admitted. Sunset smiled and leaned forwards. “Want to get a better view?” She smirked. It was unfortunate that Adagio’s face was completely obscured by her mask, because she would have loved to see the woman’s face after that remark. Unfortunately, she didn’t have time to tease further because Pharynx snapped his fingers and stepped forwards. “Come on! What kind of friends and family reunion is this?!” Sunset and Adagio looked up to see Pharynx stepping next to the band. “Let’s spice this up a small bit!” He pointed finger guns at the drummer. “Come on! Let’s see how fast these love birds can go!” One of the band players shrugged his shoulders. The man began hitting the drums at a faster pace and the rest of the band followed. Everyone at the dance floor began to laugh as they started to pace quicker. Pharynx clapped his hands, and the spectators around the dance followed suit. The music began to weave, twist and turn in a joyful and playful way. The dancers followed suit, turning around more, and pacing in their movements faster, and began to use more complicated dance moves. Some locked arms and spun around, some twriled their partners around, and others switched dance partners in the middle. Soon, people began to exit the dance floor, tired and dizzy, all while laughing. One by one, everyone left, until there was one couple left. Adagio and Sunset were the last ones, the two of them laughing as the music reached its peak, before then ending right there and then. The two parted and bowed to clapping. Sunset couldn’t stop smiling and it seemed Adagio felt the same way because she was doubled over laughing. The two walked back up towards each other, each grasping their hands together. “Thank you Irons.” Sunset smiled. “Call me Adagio.” The woman whispered gently. “Well …you two seem to know what you are doing.” A voice suddenly interjected. The two looked over to see an obsidian skinned woman walking up to them, a smile on her face. She was wearing a teal colored dress that went down to her ankles with a jade crown upon her forehead. She reached out and shook hands with Sunset Shimmer as their eyes met, the woman’s face covered by a mask with the expression of an winged ant carved into it. “Chrysalis Queen. Honor to meet you.” “Chrysalis?” Sunset gasped, unable to hide her shock. The woman nodded. “The CEO of ChangeData itself.” “Pardon my friend's shock.” Adagio grasped Sunset’s shoulder and pulled the girl under her arm. “She was assaulted in one of your warehouses by certain creatures.” The woman seemingly scolded Chrysalis. Chrysalis let out a sigh. “I am doing an investigation to prevent such events ever happening again.” The woman shook her head. “When a company gets so big …it’s so difficult to manage.” She explained. Chrysalis turned towards Sunset and bowed. “Please …accept my apologies for your unfortunate experience.” The woman straightened up with a finger raised up. “Can I buy you a drink?” She asked. Sunset waved her hand. “I don’t drink.” She muttered. She was worried that the stories about the Chrysalis back in equestria would match up with the one in the mirror world, but that didn’t seem to be the case just yet. However, the queen of the changelings was known to be able to put on multiple facades, so she didn’t want to give the woman in front of her the full benefit of the doubt. “Respectable.” Chrysalis nodded before turning towards Pharynx. “You hear that! The girl doesn’t drink like a sailor!” She snapped. “Oh sod off!” Pharynx replied before drinking a bottle of whisky. “It’s not an alcohol problem. It’s an alcohol solution.” The man managed out after taking a breath. “Apologies for my little brother.” Chrysalis sighed before walking off too possibly scold Pharynx. Sunset and Adagio watched as the woman approached the man, and seemingly berate him. “They are eccentric, but they are some of my best friends.” Adagio sighed before turning back towards Sunset. “Are they also immortal?” Sunset asked, shuffling uncomfortably. From what she had heard, Chrysalis had lived for a long time, for nearly a thousand years if the legends were true. Adagio confirmed her suspicions and fears with a nod. “Yes. But not from the grail like me. They are of a different mettle, and even I don’t know the source of their longevity.” The woman let out a snort. “You are sure taking this immortality business well.” Sunset let out a sigh and shrugged. “I know a thing or two about immortals.” She admitted. “Oh? Do tell.” Adagio snickered under her mask. Sunset leaned forwards. “A story for another time. What about another dance?” She asked. “I can do you one better.” Adagio said as she removed her hands from Sunset. “I told you I remove my mask only for worthy people, did I?” She asked. Sunset nodded in response as she watched the woman’s movement carefully. “There is a second part. I vowed to only ever remove my mask in public, if I was ever to finally settle down.” Adagio chuckled. Sunset’s eyes widened as she watched Adagio carefully remove her mask. She heard gasps around her as Adagio’s hair spilled out from under the mask, her golden skin and raspberry eyes shining out. Sunset felt her heart skip as she felt Adagio reach forwards and slowly take off Sunset’s mask, revealing both of their faces to the masked crowd. “It’s good to finally see you out in the open Sunset.” Adagio smiled before leaning forwards, her lips aimed at Sunset’s Sunset’s brain was trying to explain mathematically how to navigate the whole situation, and it somehow came up with an imaginary number. Sunset was frozen as Adagio pulled her in for a kiss which caused the entire ballroom to go wild. At that moment, Sunset decided that she would act as she always had. She would go with the flor, and make her own way through life. It was how she got the attention of Princess Celestia, how she discovered the mirror portal’s secret, and how she ended up here. So instead of pushing away, she pulled Adagio forwards instead. Witchblade “Okay we’re here!” Silverstream exclaimed, quickly jumping out of the car. Thorax and Gilda followed as they rushed behind Silverstream as they headed towards the high-rise. “She lives in the penthouse all the way at the top.” The woman informed as they rushed into the building. It stretched up into the black clouds above Canterlot City which loomed over the area like a bad omen. It was as if even the heavens itself knew something was transpiring in the background, and today was going to be an important day. The high-rise’s blue surface was covered by the blackness of the sky, making it seem bleaker than it would normally look like. The three of them made their ways to the front desk. Silverstream slammed her gauntlets onto the desk, getting the secretary’s attention. “Hello. We’ll like to get into Adagio Dazzle’s penthouse. You know her …the Iron Lady of Canterlot?” The woman asked quickly. “Are you a friend of hers?” The lady at the front desk asked. “In a way.” “Do you have a keycard?” “No.” “Let me call her.” The lady started, but Silverstream grabbed her hand. “No need for that …just let me in.” The girl gave a wild smile which caused the secretary to recoil. “Sorry, but for security reasons I can’t do that.” The woman apologized, but it only earned a harsher glare from Silverstream. “You do realize I can snap your neck in a second right?” The girl threatened. Seeing the situation escalate beyond reason, Gilda pushed the girl aside and put her hands on the desk. “Apologies for my friend here. She ate too much sugar and is now hyper.” Gilda took in a deep breath while the secretary relaxed a bit. “Do you know where we may find the Iron Lady of Canterlot?” “W-well …she’s at a reunion right now …” The woman stammered. “Fantastic.” Gilda leanded forwards causing the lady at the front desk to recoil. “Did you see anyone else go in with her?” She asked. Before the front desk could answer, a security guard approached them with his hands stretched out. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave. You’re causing a scene.” The man ordered her. “I’ll leave when I get answers.” Gilda snapped. “You’re leaving now.” The guard grabbed her by the shoulders and began to pull her away. “And I said I’ll leave when I get ANSWERS!” Gilda roared as she pulled away from the guard before punching him backwards across the floor and into a potted plant. If there was any hope for de-escalation, it ended there because immediately after the rest of the guard froze there as they watched their comrade squirm on the floor. The rest of the guards immediately pulled out their weapons and pointed it at Gilda. However, they soon found their hands empty suddenly as a light magenta blur passed by all of them. Silverstream appeared next to Gilda and dropped all of the guards weapons on the floor in front of her. In reponse to this, one of the guards ran over towards a red button and slammed it down. “Well …if this was meant to de-escalate the situation …” Thorax smacked his lips. “This certainly did not help.” He remarked as an loud alarm blared throughout the building. The guards put on gloves which sparked with electricity. “Hey …can you take off their gloves?” Gilda asked Silverstream. “I can run fast …but not that fast.” Silverstream pursed her lips. “It’ll be easier just knocking them out at this point.” “Been a while since I knocked heads together.” Gilda clenched her jaw as she readied herself. She hunched down in a combat stance, her fists raised in the air. “Time to get back into motion!” Two guards lunged at her which was a mistake they wouldn’t have time to regret. Gilda ducked in between them and punched one in the stomach with her taloned hand, before sweeping her leg and tripping the second one onto the floor. The first guard keeled over, gripping his stomach and dry heaving while the second tried to stand up. Gilda slammed her heel into the man’s back hard, the metal of her shoe striking the man’s spine. She then brought her leg up to the other guard’s chin, knocking him out onto the ground. She looked over her shoulder to see a third rush her. She dodged the man’s kick, and ducked under his fist. She grabbed his arm, twisted it over her shoulder, and threw the man into a potted plant. While she was distracted, a guard grabbed her from behind and tried to choke her out while his mate rushed up to her front. Gilda kicked the guard in front of her back before using her talons to stab into the arm of the man grappling her. The man let out a scream and loosened his grip, giving Gilda the opportunity to slip out and deliver a punch into the guard’s jaw. As the guard fell to the floor, she saw a bear grab a guard in its jaws while swatting two others into a wall. The bear threw the guard in its mouth into the ground with a mighty ‘crack’ before barreling into a fourth, knocking the man over and behind the front desk. Silverstream quickly ran circles around five, quickly delivering fast punches while also tripping them while she had the opportunity. Her guantlets cracked as her fists struck the guard’s faces and bodies. The five helpless chaps tried to land strikes upon the girl but ended up dizzy and confused. Before the five knew it, they were on the ground in a heap. Silverstream took this opportunity to grab each one of them and throw them out the window into the sidewalk. “I committed multiple felonies today.” Silverstream smiled. “Today is a good day.” “It’s great that you think that way. Can you take that enthusiasm and find a way to the penthouse?” Gilda snapped. Silverstream rolled her eyes and quickly ran to the front desk and began typing furiously. She snapped her fingers, and as if on command, one of the elevators opened. “Everyone hop in.” Silverstream ordered as she ran into the elevator. Gilda followed while the bear transformed back into Thorax, and the two stood in the carriage as it slowly made its way to the top. As they waited, Gilda couldn’t help but ask, “How did you get access to the penthouse?” “I was taught how to hack.” Silverstream snorted. “It’s useful having a hacker that is also a speedster.” She remarked as the elevator doors opened. The girl rushed out and started to dash around the penthouse, her afterimage stretching all over the area as every door in the penthouse opened. Gilda couldn’t even get a word in before Silverstream appeared back in front of her. “Found something. Follow me.” Silverstream snapped as she ran over towards a pair of double doors. Gilda followed the girl’s lead with Thorax and found themselves in a velvet room with multiple paintings and curtains. She walked up to one of the paintings which showcased a medevil knight with a metallic gauntlet on her right hand. Her other hand wielded a spear which she raised high up into the sky. Gilda narrowed her eyes as she rubbed her right hand, remembering the night at the warehouse. “I recognize this …it’s the witchblade.” Thorax muttered, betting Gilda’s attention. “I heard rumours about Adagio’s obsession, but I guess this confirms it.” Gilda walked around the room and tried to think back to the warehouse. She turned towards Thorax while rubbing her chin. “This witchblade …does it look like a gauntlet …with a red, blue and yellow gem on it?” She asked. Thorax did a double take. “Y-yeah. How do you know?” He asked. Gilda pointed at the painting. “I recognize that gauntlet. I put it on when I was kidnapped by your pals.” She scowled before narrowing her eyes. “It rejected me though, hurt like hell as well.” “If this is where she keeps the witchblade …then where the hell is it?” Silverstream pointed into the interior of a vault. The vault was one of three, and was situated in the back of the room, covered by crimson drapes. Thorax quickly turned back towards Gilda. “Who else could have gotten their hands on the witchblade?!” The changeling quickly asked, rushing towards Gilda, grabbing her clothes. “Who?!” Gilda’s brain began to run on fumes as she tried her best to think who else could have possibly put on the magic glove. “The only other person with me that day was Sunset and the lady with the sword.” She finally managed out. Thorax froze and so did Silverstream. Gilda looked at the two confused before her brain also managed to connect dots after some rebooting. Before she could say what they were all thinking and try to deny it, a large explosion rocked the very sky itself. The three of them ran out of the display room and into the main chamber where they looked out of the large glass wall. In the distance, there was a large fire, billowing black smoke into the air, and it came from the wealthy district, where the biggest mansions were. She didn’t want to believe it, but Gilda knew that wherever fire was, she could be sure to find Sunset Shimmer. The only question was if she could get there fast enough, or if she will watch another one die in her hands. Witchblade Sunset Shimmer was still frozen in place even after Adagio parted her lips away from hers. She was stunned as her brain tried to process everything that had happened. She didn’t even hear the clapping and cheering around her until a strong hand gripped her shoulder. She looked over to see see Pharynx smiling with a shit-eating grin on his face. “Well Adagio. Finally got someone don’t you?” The man smiled as Adagio approached them. The man gave Adagio a friendly punch in the shoulder. “Nice catch here.” “Thank you Pharynx.” Adagio smiled. “Well. Since that is out of the way …” Pharynx took off his mask and tossed it aside. Sunset was a bit shocked at that, but then noticed the other party members were also taking off their masks around her. “It’s good to see you smile again Adagio.” Pharynx sighed before giving Adagio a small pat on the shoulder. “Thank you Pharynx. Now if you excuse me, I need to talk with my fiance.” Adagio smiled before taking Sunset’s hand. Sunset felt overwhelmed and her heart skipped a beat. Fiance? She was taking things a little too fast wasn’t she? “Fiance already?” Pharynx scoffed. “Moving a bit fast here aren’t we?” The man asked. “I was always the impatient one.” Adagio chuckled. “W-what’s going on?” Sunset finally got out, getting the two’s attention. “Ah.” Pharynx snapped his fingers. Sunset finally got a good look at the man’s face. He had a slim face with a sharp chin. His dark cyan skin looked hard and had the appearance of chitin rather than skin. “We all wore the mask whenever Adagio hosted a reunion because of her vow. Because she took it off, we can finally stop hiding under the mask, just like she did.” “That’s …nice.” Sunset managed to whimper out while she still tried to process the string of events that led her to this position. “It is.” Pharynx smiled before turning back to Adagio. “Going to leave you to it now. Have fun you two.” The man smirked with a suggestive wink. Adagio rolled her eyes and grabbed Sunset’s arm. “Come on.” The woman smiled as she took a lead Sunset away. As they passed by the other partygoers, congratulations was thrown at them. Adagio shook many hands, and introduced Sunset to many of them, though she wasn’t able to catch all of their names. When she finally got ahold of herself, she found herself being lead up a flight of stairs to the top floors. The room was completely dark other than a dim chandelier above that only made the place barely visible. It had a large window that spanned the entire wall which looked out into the city whose lights shone bright in the night. She hadn’t even realized how far into the night it was, she had been completely immersed during the entire event. Adagio ordered her two guards to stand guard at the door before shutting and locking it behind her, leaving her alone with Sunset. Sunset was then led by Adagio over towards the the large window. The two looked out into the starry sky, admiring the view for a minute. Adagio broke the silence after a minute staring out the window “It is a beautiful night tonight isn’t it?” Adagio smiled as she turned towards Sunset. Sunset nodded meekly. “Y-yes it is.” Adagio slowly took Sunset’s hand. The woman’s fingers and palm felt warm, and Sunset could feel a sort of energy course through her as she did so. It was a warm feeling, but she could feel her mind being muddled, though she wasn’t sure if it wasn’t from the suddenness of the kiss from earlier. “Since the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you were a perfect match.” Adagio smiled as she took Sunset’s hand. “When was that?” Sunset asked. “When you fought Nottingham. Your bravery, courage, and determination spoke out to me, like a dream from long before.” Adagio whispered as she caressed Sunset’s cheek softly. The woman gave a soft smile as she pulled Sunst close. “A dream that held firm even after so much hardship.” Adagio closed her eyes. “I know how much you struggled, even before Nottingham. I heard how you struggled against false accusations, and being assaulted for the false beliefs in others.” Her voice was like a gentle whisper in the wind, it was warm like the sun in spring. “I can see why the witchblade chose you, and it endeared me to you.” Sunset couldn’t even get a word out as Adagio continued to entrance her. The warmth over her hand beginning to stretch all the way up to her elbow. “But nobody should bear that burden alone. I can give you rest, reprieve from the rest of your classmates. I can protect you. You don’t have to see them ever again.” Adagio offered. Sunset admitted the offer sounded tempting, especially after what her five former friends did to push her away. “Don’t you just want to rest? To sleep?” Adagio whispered. “We can both live in a dream together.” Sunset could feel the warm stretch all the way up to her shoulders now. It was comforting, and she could feel herself slip away. “When I saw you …I saw a dream that I had yearned so long to reach again.” Adagio’s voice was deafening yet soft. It reminded Sunset of Princess Celestia’s voice, and it gave her comfort. Adagio reached into her pocket and lifted up a crimson red wedding ring. The body being made of gold, and the gem looking to be a ruby. “Can you grant me the honor of allowing me to indulge that dream for the rest of my life?” Sunset felt her heart skip as she heard those words. “W-what?” Was the only words she managed to get out as the warm reached her neck and began moving up her head. “Sunset Shimmer …will you marry me?” Adagio asked, her voice like a soft breeze in the wind. Sunset felt dizzy as if all her blood was rushing from her head toward her heart. A part of her yearned to say yes, but another part, a small part pulled her away. She wasn’t sure what it was, but she could feel it screaming within her, trying to get her attention. After Anon-A-Miss, she had fought so much. People vandalized her locker, pushed her, ganged up before beating her into the ground. She remembered all the awful memories and how she pushed through those horrible events. She always held onto HOPE. Hope that things would change, hope that she could live through it to see another bright day again. But she was getting tired, and her exit ticket was right here, right in front of her. She could live with Adagio, and never worry a day in her life ever again. As Adagio began to slip the wedding ring upon Sunset’s finger. Sunset opened her mouth and said- A memory hit her. A memory of Pinkie and Gilda. Her two friends that believed in her, one whom she saved, and the other, who looked up to her. How could she face them if she ran away right now, after all the effort that was made? To slip away into a dream world and give up after fighting for so long. She was never one to give up. She never gave up proving herself to Celestia when she was a villain, and she didn’t give up against the sirens, and she sure as hell wasn’t going to give up now. Sunset recoiled her hand away from the wedding ring and turned around, ripping her hand out of Adagio’s grip. The warmth disappeared and the blood seemed to return to her head, yet she still felt a bit dizzy. An icy, cold glare bore into her back, and she didn’t need to look behind her to see the look of wrath upon Adagio’s face. “I’m sorry.” Sunset whispered as she looked over her shoulder. Her heart nearly froze, seeing Adagio’s eyes glow in the dark, a nasty scowl upon her face. “We’re moving too fast and …I don’t want to give up on my friends yet.” Sunset looked away, trying to pretend she didn’t just see this world’s version of Adagio as a demon. “I also …don’t feel the same way for you. A friend …but not a wife.” Sunset gasped as she felt Adagio’s iron grip clasp around her wrist. She tried to yank it free but the woman’s grip was too tight. She was pulled in, and an icy grip closed around her heart as she stared into Adagio’s glowing red eyes. “I can give you everything!” Adagio roared. “Your own kingdom! Your own empire! Infinite wealth, don’t you understand?!” Sunset clenched her jaw. “I don’t want it!” She cried back. “Your friendship is enough. It is all I need. Please let go!” But Adagio didn’t let go. Instead her head lowered, and her grip tightened. The warmth that enveloped her turned into a raging fire, and Sunset could feel it burning through her limbs. She let out a scream as her body felt as if it was being torn apart by a raging inferno. In a desperate attempt, she willed witchblade to activate. This time, only extending over her wrist and hands. It was enough to get Adagio to lose her grip, causing Sunset to fly backwards. She tripped over her dress and tumbled to the ground, hitting her head on the floor. Adagio stood over her, and in a panic, Sunset pointed her right hand at Adagio, the witchblade primed with a dart. “You foolish girl. We both could’ve gotten what we wanted.” Adagio sneered as she clenched her fist. “I could’ve given you a pleasant dream, one in which you could live in bliss for eternity.” “W-what are you talking about?” Sunset whimpered as she tried to crawl backwards, but her limbs felt lethargic and heavy, so she didn’t get far. “I set up everything!” Adagio finally roared, causing Sunset to flinch back. Her heart began to shatter and her eyes began to water. “Nottingham! The wendigos! If I wanted to I could have torn you apart and made you suffer for eternity!” The woman marched towards Sunset as tears began to run down her face. “But I chose to be merciful and grant you a gift! One that you threw in my face!” “W-why?” Sunset sobbed. “Did you ever mean anything you said?” “I only care about one person in this world, and she was taken from me.” Adagio Irons sneered. “You are merely a stepping stone, and you always will be. Why do you think your ‘friends’ abandoned you so quickly?” She gave a cruel grin. Sunset’s hand trembled as she felt her entire world give out from under her. This was the same feeling she had felt when Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy abandoned her in the hallway. She wanted to curl up in a ball and sob her sorrows away, but she didn’t have that luxury. Tears streamed down her scrunched up face despite how hard she tried to keep composure. She heard a thud next to her. She looked over to the side, and her heart stopped. Behind her was the human world’s Aria Blaze, or the Nottingham. There was a Katana each in both her hands, which was pointed directly at Sunset. “Aria. Redeem yourself and complete the ritual. Absorb the rest of the witchblade and kill the girl!” Adagio ordered. Aria approached Sunset with a grim look upon her face. Sunset raised a hand up. “Please don’t do this …” She whimpered, but her hand was knocked to the side by the flat side of Aria’s blade. “You are too naive girl. Holding onto hope when all is lost.” Aria growled as she walked up to Sunset. She knocked Sunset’s witchblade arm to the side, which fell to the side as Sunset felt her will slipping. Aria grabbed Sunset by her dress and lifted her up from the floor. She glared into Sunset’s eyes. “Hope …is all you have left, and look at where it has gotten you.” Aria whispered. Adagio smiled, but Sunset could see some apprehension within Aria’s gaze. “Hope …is all we have …when all seems to be lost.” Sunset grit her teeth and prepared for the worst, but Aria was just frozen there. Adagio scowled and walkedup behind Aria. “What the hell are you waiting for?! Absorb-!” Was all Adagio got out before Aria suddenly spun around, slashing her swords across Adagio’s face, splattering blood over the floor. Adagio was knocked to her knee, but quickly regained her composure. She looked at Aria with wrath within her eyes. “You dare betray me?!” She roared. “I am not your servant!” Aria howled as she knocked Adagio to the ground. “I am your sister! Not your puppet! Did you not think I would figure out what the rune upon my hand was for? What your plan for the witchblade was?!” The woman shouted as she lifted both her swords over Aria’s chest. “How you planned to substitute me with Puresoul?!” Aria stabbed down, but Adagio caught both blades inches away from her chest with a snarl. “You overstep your bounds girl! I am your elder!” Adagio snatched the blades away before kicking Aria backwards who crashed against the window, causing glass to scatter over the pavement below. Aria leaned against the frame as she got up. Adagio lunged forwards at Aria with the two blades, but the assassin simply raised up her hand and shot out a plume of fire which knocked the other woman back. The fire set ablaze many of the fabrics in the area, and smoke began to billow out from them Sunset began to get up, but could feel herself starting to stumble as her mind began to drift away. “You dare?! You dare use the witchblade’s power against me?!” Adagio roared as she swung the swords at Aria’s neck. “You are not worthy!” “It is you who is not worthy!” Aria sneered as she blocked the blades with her arm. “You never were! That is why Puresoul, Katarina, abandoned you! Because you are nothing but an obsessive, power hungry woman, who only knows how to control others!” The assassin pushed the blades away as she spat her poisonous words at Adagio. Adagio let out a roar of anger and threw a blade at Aria in a fit of blind rage. Aria caught the blade in midair and used it to parry Adagio’s blind strike. She landed a kick into Adagio’s chest, knocking the woman backwards. “You will never control the witchblade wielder, because you are nothing but a pathetic sniveling coward. And every witchblade wielder will have ten times more will then you.” Aria finally sneered as Adagio got up off the ground. “If I can’t have Pure Soul with me in the mortal realm …” Adagio sneered as she turned towards Sunset Shimmer. “Then I will join her in the witchblade itself.” Adagio dashed over towards Sunset with blinding speed, her hand raised outwards towards Sunset. The doors burst open and Adagio’s two guards rushed in, their weapons ready. Sunset couldn’t react as the last thing she saw was Aria with her hand raised, fire rushing outwards. Then the world exploded into flame as she and Adagio was knocked back, but not before Adagio managed to get her hand on Sunset. Witchblade Gilda fell to the ground woozy but stumbled into the Silverstreams car while Thorax transformed back into his human form from his teradactyl form. They didn’t even get a chance to buckle in their seat belts as Silverstream rushed down the street, ignoring all traffic safety laws. “How long do we have?” Gilda asked. “Well the mansion is on fire.” Silverstream pointed out. “And some documents I managed to find in the area while rushing through talked about runes to control the witchblade.” “So how long?” Gilda asked again, but with a bit more irritation. “Depends. She could be dead by now, or we might have five minutes. Depends on how much will she has.” Silverstream pursed her lips as cars honked at her while she weaved in between traffic. “Then she’ll be fine.” Gilda muttered. “She has the strongest will out of anyone I know. She can pull through.” The girl continued. “Hey, you said it not me.” Silverstream shrugged as Gilda’s phone began to ring. She pulled it out and saw that it was Pinkie Pie again. “What?!” Gilda snapped after answering. “Where is Sunset? Is she at the mansion?!” Pinkie asked desperately. “Why do you want to know?” Gilda asked. “Because I am watching the news right now! There was a huge fire at the Iron Lady of Canterlot’s mansion!” Pinkie sniffled. “Is Sunsets there?” Gilda hesitated. She didn’t want to worry the party girl, but she also didn’t want to lie. After some deliberating, she decided the girl deserved to know. “Yes. She is.” “Why does she keep on rushing in alone?” Pinkie sobbed. “Doesn’t she trust us anymore?” “She just wants us to be safe.” Gilda sighed while rubbing her eyes. “She cares about you enough to want you to be safe. It is just how she is.” There was a second of Pinkie sniffling before the girl replied back. “Bring her back safe, will you?” The girl asked. “I will.” Gilda promised. “We’ll see you tomorrow.” “At SugarCube corner?” Pinkie asked. Gilda smiled. “Sure thing. Ten tomorrow we’ll be there.” The girl answered. “That late?” Pinkie let out a weak chuckle. “I sleep in late.” Gilda shrugged. Gilda slammed her hand on the seat. “Step on it!” “I am!” Silverstream snapped. “Step on it harder then!” Silverstream scowled. “Hey do you want to drive?!” She snapped. “I will if you continue at this pace now go!” Gilda snapped. Silverstream rolled her eyes, but the car rushed forwards while letting out a wail and a trail of skid marks behind it. After a minute of rushing through traffic and weaving between cars, they finally made it to the burning mansion. Everyone outside was standing away from it, either panicking, or stunned at the view. Gilda jumped out the car first and rushed towards the mansion with Thorax and silverstream right in front of her. For Silverstream, it made sense, but Thorax was deceptively fast. The people standing out of the mansion were all wearing dresses and formal wear. Gilda could see tables in the mansion so she deduced that there was a party going on before the fire began. She pushed past the partygoers as they gave little resistance to her and the other two. She could hear sirens in the distance, and she hoped it was from the firefighters and not Pinkie Pie. Gilda rushed into the mansion, covering her eyes as the flamers licked at her, singing her eyebrows. “Are we certain she is here?!” She heard Thorax ask. “Where there is flames, there is Sunset Shimmer!” Gilda stepped further into the burning mansion. “Sunset! Where are you?!” An answer came from the sound of crashing from the floor above her. “Upstairs!” Gilda snapped as she made her way up the staircase. She could hear the wood cracking as the flames devoured the mansion around her, but yet she pushed forwards. As she made her way up the second floor, she could see what was causing the noise. There was a woman fighting off two changelings who had much thicker armor than Thorax, while a man knelt over the lying body of an orange haired woman on the ground. This man’s skin was a dark cyan, his skin seemed to be hardened and looked akin more to plate armor than actual flesh. “Pharynx!” Thorax shouted. “Stop this madness!” The man turned around, and stood within the roaring flames. “Thorax!” The man sneered, his disguise fading away revealing his insectoid form. It was bigger than Thorax’s, he stood taller, had thicker armor, no, on closer inspection, it was chitin. The man towered over Thorax, and in his hand was a gnarly polearm scimitar. The same one she had seen pierce her parents body during their house robbery. She would recognize it anywhere. “Thorax my brother!” Phyarnx scowled. “My disappointment of a brother! I knew you would betray us eventually!” “I saw what Chrysalis was leading us towards! It is madness! Why do you insist on helping her and those she work with?!” Thorax pleaded. “It is the way …and it has always been the way!” Pharynx snarled. “Soon the world shall be remade with us as the masters! You have no vision little brother!” Thorax shook his head and took out a small metallic cylinder. In an instant, it extended into a large metal polearm with two crescent blades along with the speartip at the end of it. “You go help Sunset. I’ll take care of my brother.” Thorax hissed. “But …” “Now! You can’t outpace him Silverstream!” Thorax snapped. “Now go!” Silverstream nodded and quickly rushed towards Sunset Shimmer. However, before she could grab the girl, a large force knocked her back. Gilda ran after the girl, but ducked as instinct as a ball of flame rushed bast her hair. She looked up to see the orange haired woman rise up from the flaming floor. “Adagio …” Silverstream gasped. Gilda felt her heart freeze as Adagio raised her arm, now covered in metallic tendrils and veins which stretched from her hand all the way up to her shoulder. It even extended down her body and covered her right breast and ribcage. Adagio’s eyes glowed red, her veins bulging out but silver instead of red. Adagio finally controlled the witchblade like she said she would, one way or another. Adagio was kicked backwards in the head and went skidding across the ground. The woman who was fighting the two changelings was here now. The woman turned towards Gilda, her purple hair and light blue streaks covered with blood. “No talk, plan now!” The woman snapped. “Aria?! Why are you here? Why are you helping?” Silverstream exclaimed. “I said no talk, plan now!” Aria snapped as Adagio slowly got up off the floor. Gilda also noticed the two changelings making their way towards them as well. “You take Adagio, we’ll take the two changeling guards.” Silverstream snapped her fingers. “Of course, I always do the dirty work.” Aria snorted, but rushed forwards anyways at Adagio. With blinding speed, she swung her blades at the woman, but they were just parried away by the metallic arm. Aria didn’t let up though, continuing to pressure Adagio from all angles, holding her ground. Gilda didn’t have time to admire the fighting technique as she barely ducked under one of the changelings guard’s polearm. If she was a second later, it would have taken her head off at worst, or knocked her out cold at best. She flexed the claws on her gauntlet and struck forwards at the changeling, but it dodged out of the way before slamming her head with the pommel of its polearm. She stumbled back and stepped to the side just as it stabbed forwards. She grabbed the shaft with her left hand and slashed at it with her right. The blades of her metallic talons missed as it simply stepped back, yanking its polearm out of her grip. Gilda grit her teeth, it didn’t matter how fast she was, the distance advantage of the polearm gave the changeling a huge advantage. It also didn’t help that it was extremely fast and strong. Meanwhile, Gilda noticed that Silverstream was also having trouble as well. The changeling guard spun its polearm around it, parrying and blocking Silverstream punches and kicks. It the suddenly swung it’s blade across the ground, forcing the girl to dodge over it before calling to the floor. Silverstream let out a curse as she flexed her fists. She dashed forwards and the changeling responded by swinging his polearm up at her chin. At the last second, she jumped in the air and twisted, dodging out the way of the blade. She then landed on the ground, and struck the changeling guard hard in the stomach, knocking it back. Despite the nice blow, the changeling guard just straightened itself up and walked back up to her. Silverstream grit her teeth and looked over to see how Thorax was doing. It seemed as if he and Pharynx was in a stalemate as their spears clashed, causing sparks being thrown over the ground as the metal blades slid off each other. Pharynx stabbed at Thorax’s chest, who in turn dodged it before slashing his weapon towards Pharynx’s neck. Thorax and Pharynx began their second bout. The two began a pattern of stabbing, parrying and riposte over and over while they circled each other. They continued to test each other, waiting for one to slip up. In a split second, Pharynx stabbed at Thorax, but the changeling managed to catched the tip within the crescent blade of his spear. He twisted it, but Pharynx got it untangled just in time to step back away from Thorax’s swing. While those two were sparring, Aria fought against Adagio. The purple haired woman had the ability to catch bullets, to react to a speeding car. However, both had drunk from the holy grail. Before they were evenly matched, but now, with the witchblade, Aria felt herself giving away ground as Adagio pushed forwards. Adagio swung the witchblade upon her arm aggressively, yet somehow focused and precise. It was as if her movements were guided by instinct, movements that were practiced over and over again, but was not hers. The witchblade cut the air Aria’s face was a few seconds ago. However, Adagio needed time to recover so Aria readied her blade and lunged forwards with a stab. She aimed at Adagios neck, but in a split second, saw Adagio’s arm turn into a claw which was also aimed at hers. Aria was forced to abandon her attack and duck under the strike to preserve her own life before stepping back. “What are these things made of?” Silverstream snapped as she ducked under another swing. “Good question. Thorax?! How do we beat these things?!” Gilda snapped as she barely jumped over the blade as it swung down at her ankles. “You don’t!” Thorax answered through the flames. “How encouraging!” Gilda snapped. Gilda decided to try a gambit and lunged forwards. As expected, the changeling guard readied it’s spear and aimed it right at her heart. However, she twisted herself to the side, using her talons to grasp the spear tip. She pulled it towards her, but the changeling remained stern, so she ended up pulling herself towards it. She improvised and landed a foot forward before swinging her talons through the air, and into the changelings armor. Her talons stabbed into the changelings armor but was stuck there. She looked up and saw the changeling lifting up its spear, ready to slam it down at her arm. Gilda grit her teeth and unfastend her hand from the talons before diving back. The changeling slammed the pommel of its spear into the ground. The force vibrated through the floor. After being eaten away by the flames, and weakened by the constant fighting, the floor finally gave way after the changelings strike. Gilda fell down, grasping at the air as she and everyone else plummeted to the flaming ground below. All Gilda could think about, at that moment, was the face of her parents, her childhood friend, and Sunset, before the world turned black. Witchblade Sunset closed her locker with a sigh. The day had begun with her being heckled by students at the entrance of Canterlot High School. Spitballs, pieces of paper, and rocks were thrown at her as she entered the high school. She looked wearily at her locker which was covered in graffiti. It consisted of curse words and insults directed her way by students who were rightfully angry at her after years of torment. She gave up trying to clean it off as it always returned, so she just dealt with it. As Sunset turned away from her locker, she found herself surrounded by a group of students. The Rainbooms were part of the group, all of them with viscous sneers on their faces. In front of the group was Gilda, her expression being a cruel snarl and predatory eyes upon her face. “Twilight may have forgiven you, but that doesn’t mean we have.” Gilda smirked as the group of students closed around Sunset. “P-please I’m sorry.” Sunset begged as she began to back up. Rainbow Dash shoved her into the ground before she could get any more words out. Sunset fell to the ground, hitting her head against the locker. She gripped the metal door and wearily looked up, trying to control her fear as the group of students continued to close in around her. “Do you really expect us to believe that, Anon-A-Miss?” Pinkie snarled. The snarl looked particularly vicious on the party girl’s face, who was usually so upbeat and happy. Fear enveloped Sunset’s heart as she recoiled further into the floor. “Please I’m not-” Was all Sunset managed to get out before a kick in the face from Rainbow Dash shut her up. Gilda grabbed her by the collar and slammed her head into the locker. “We don’t believe you.” The girl snarled before slamming Sunset repeatedly into the locker. When Sunset began to feel her skull crack, she was then thrown into the ground by Gilda with a loud thud. Sunset let out a sob as pain as she laid sprawled over the floor, her entire body aching. She curled up in a ball and cried pitifully as she covered her head while the students around her began to laugh at her misery. “I’m sorry …” She finally choked out. {For what?} Sunset looked up from the ground to see a woman standing over her. She cautiously looked over her shoulder to see the students around her frozen in place. She then wiped her tears from her face and looked up tearfully at the woman who slowly knelt down towards her. The beige colored woman had brown hair and blue eyes which complimented her kind smile and soft expression. She wore a black jacket with a badge sitting over heart. She looked down at Sunset and extended a hand towards the girl. Sunset reached up with a shaky hand, but hesitated, stopping midway. {Why are you scared Sunset?} The woman asked. “I …I don’t if I can continue.” Sunset let out a heavy sigh. “I’m so tired.” The woman closed her eyes and nodded. She sat down on the floor in front of Sunset and let out a small chuckle. {I know the feeling.} The woman closed her eyes. {I know the feeling all too well.} The woman looked away from Sunset down the hall. There was a pair of double doors that suddenly opened letting out a bright light. {I know what it feels like when the world begins to close around you. When everything begins to go to hell, sucking you and those you care about in.} The woman turned back towards Sunset. {I know the feeling. I couldn’t take it anymore and that’s why …I gave it up.} “Gave what up?” Sunset asked weakly. The woman let out a snort. {The witchblade of course.} Sunset let out a gasp and the woman nodded wearily in response. {I gave it up, because I couldn’t handle that lifestyle anymore.} Sunset managed to prop herself up with shaky arms. “Why …?” The woman raised an eyebrow in surprise at that question. “Why did it choose me?” Sunset sobbed. {I asked that question myself as well.} The woman sighed. {All of us do sooner or later, and we never get an answer.} “But why me? I hurt so many people.” Sunset sobbed. “I’m weak, pathetic, and can’t even gain the trust of my friends.” {But yet you fight for them.} The woman placed a soft hand on Sunset’s shoulder. {You fight to protect them …to help them …no matter what it takes.} “I’m only doing it to clear my name, and help myself.” Sunset muttered somberly. {If you were, why didn’t you take the money? Why did you jump in to save Gilda?} The woman whispered. “Yeah. Why did you dweeb?” A familiar voice asked. Sunset looked up to see Gilda, with a more friendly expression. Her face was stern, but her eyes twinkled with an element of playfulness within it. “Come on dweeb, get up.” “What are you doing? She’s Anon-A-Miss!” The other Gilda stormed up to the new one. The new Gilda let out a snort. She raised up a fist and slammed it into the first one, cracking their skull. “Piss off.” “Come on Sunset! Turn that frown upside down!” Sunset looked up to see Pinkie standing next to Gilda with a beaming smile. “Come on Sunset! Don’t let those meanies push you down!” {Listen to your friend.} Sunset looked at the strange woman standing over her. {You are not alone.} “Get up Sunset!” Pinie’s voice echoed. “Come on dweeb! You are better than this!” Gilda’s voice snapped. “Sunset, I believe in you.” Celestia’s voice reached out. “Sunset …!” Sunset froze at the fourth voice. She looked up tearfully to see Twilight Sparkle, standing with the group with a kind expression. “Don’t give up …it’s what you’re best at.” Sunset grit her teeth and clenched her jaw. With a heavy heave, she pushed herself off the ground. She shakily got up on her feet and pushed herself up. Her entire body shook as her limbs, battered with bruises, protested. She looked up at the students who were battering her and wiped her mouth. “Is that all you got?!” She sneered. The group of students let out a roar, including the corrupted version of Gilda, Pinkie, and the rainbooms. Sunset let out a roar herself and lashed out with her right fist, lunging towards them. As she flew through the air, she felt a familiar energy course through her. Her entire right arm became enveloped in a metallic armor which extended from her arm across her entire body. It encased her body in metallic wires, and as she struck forward a renewed force, flames erupted from her fist. A plume of flames roared out, enveloping her assailants, consuming them as their demonic screech echoed throughout the halls. The screeching eventually fell silent, as the demonic figures collapsed into dust. }}}Welcome back kid.{{{ Sunset smiled at the familiar voice. “Where were you?” She asked. }}}Irons cut me off from you. She used a spell when she spoke with you at the cafe alone. When she touched your hand, she completed the transfer.{{{ “Clever bitch.” Sunset scoffed. {At least you’re back} The woman from before stepped forward. Sunset’s friends disappeared, but the brown haired woman remained. “Thank you …” Sunset smiled gratefully. “I never got your name.” {I am Sara Pezzini} The woman introduced herself. Sunset smiled. “Thank you …Ms. Pezzini” {It is no problem.} Sara smiled. She looked down at Sunset’s right arm where the witchblade sat. {How have you been, witchblade?} }}}I’ve been great. The usual.{{{ {That’s good.} Pezzini nodded. Sunset paused and pointed at the woman. “ Wait …how are you here, how were you able to communicate with me?” {I did say that I once wileded the witchblade.} Sunset let out a small gasp. “Wh- …how …?” {All the previous wielders consciousness are stored in the witchblade to mentor the new generation.} Pezzini explained. {At least a part of them. I am still unsure of how it works.} “I see …” Sunset closed her eyes and let out a small breath. “I know you have already done a lot, but can you help me one more time?” }}}It is a good idea. You are currently falling.{{{ Sunset did a double take at that comment. “What do you mean?” {I feel it too. Irons has gone mad with her newfound power. She has absorbed part of the witchblade.} Pezzini nodded. {Your friends are in danger.} Sunset felt her heart race. “Then I need to return now! They need my help!” {You will …but not alone. I have dealt with Irons before, I will lend you my experience.} Pezzini explained. “You can do that?” {When you are ready.}Pezzini stretched out a hand. {What are you willing to do for your friends?} Sunset clenched her hands as memories of winter break flooded her mind. She remembered how her friends abandoned her, how they shunned her. It made her angry, it made her want to lash out and scream at them. But then her mind flashed back to when she was in the crater, just defeated by Twilight, and how they extended a hand out to her. “Everything.” Sunset finally answered. “Till my last breath.” Sunset reached out and took Pezzini’s hand, gripping it tight. She felt the whole world shake around her as energy flooded her body. She let out a primal roar as she finally woke up, and opened up her bright cyan eyes. Witchblade Sunset Shimmer opened up her eyes just as the floor collapsed underneath her. She let out a grunt and twisted her body quickly eyeing and grabbing Gilda out of the air. The white haired girl let out a squawk as wings sprouted out from Sunset’s back. Sunset quickly shot forward and snatched a light magenta girl as well while she was at it. She flapped her amber and crimson metallic wings, as she flew herself and the other two girls in her arms out the window. The entire mansion collapsed behind her just as she landed in the backyard lawn outside the building. Gilda and the magenta girl dropped to the ground heaving and gasping. Gilda looked at Sunset with wonder in her eyes. The magenta girl looked at Sunset with a massive shit-eating grin. “Sunset?” Gilda muttered. “Witchblade!” The magenta girl zipped at Sunset with inhuman speeds and gave her a friendly punch in the shoulder. “Damn …you look fine.” Sunset looked down and saw that the witchblade was barely covering her breast, and showing off her cleavage. She rolled her eyes while Gilda slowly got up off the ground. “Sunset …is that …you …” Gilda stammered with astonishment. She let out a scoff and gave a small grin with disbelief in her eyes. Sunset nodded and opened up her arms. “I got a makeover.” She smiled. Gilda rushed forwards and gave her an overwhelming hug. “Damn it girl …what did I say about rushing into danger.” She sniffed. Sunset was taken aback by the sudden hug, but slowly patted the girl on the back. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to put you into danger.” Sunset explained. “Well now I am definitely not letting you out of my sight.” Gilda sniffed as she pulled away. She looked Sunset over. “This explains a lot and nothing at the same time.” “Join the club.” Sunset rubbed her shoulder. “Listen …about what I said …” Gilda put a hand up. “You were right. I was using you as a replacement.” The girl closed her eyes. “I shouldn’t have projected my feeling of Gallus onto you.” Gilda looked down. Sunset noticed that the magenta girl flinch a bit, but she returned back to her stoic stance, “I’m sorry.” Gilda muttered. Sunset shook her head. “No …I should’ve been more attentive to your feelings. I also should have talked more calmly and patiently with you.” Sunset closed her eyes. “I’m sorry..” Gilda gave a small smirk and opened her arms. “One more forgiveness hug?” Sunset rolled her eyes. “Fine.” She smiled before embracing Gilda once more. The magenta girl cleared her throat as Gilda and Sunset pulled away from each other. “Well …I love seeing two friends make up …but we got bigger fish to fry.” “And who is this?” Sunset gestured towards the magenta girl. “Ah …this is Silverstream. She works with Thorax …or ‘Thor’.” Gilda explained. “I thought ‘Thor’ was a scoundrel.” Sunset sneered. “Apparently not. He was trying to get out of ChangeData for a while now apparently.” Gilda snorted. She looked around the field and back to the mansion. “Where is he anyways?” As if to answer the question, three figures burst out of the rubble. One of them was Pharynx who looked more battered and furious that he did before. He let out a loud roar as he leapt out from the rubble, landing in front of Sunset, Gilda, and Silverstream. “I AM A HUNDRED AND TEN PERCENT DONE!” Pharynx roared, raising his spear up. “INSOLENT INSECTS! YOU’LL DIE SCREAMING!” Before Pharynx could make any moves, a figure jumped forwards and gave a roundhouse kick to Pharynx’s skull, knocking the man to the side. The person who just gave Pharynx a concussion landed on the ground and turned towards Sunset and the other two. The man had light lime skin and bright orange hair. “No talk, plan now.” The man snapped. “Thorax. Discipline your shitty older brother. I’ll deal with Adagio.” Silverstream turned towards Adagio who was standing in the rubble …menacingly. “No.” Sunset stepped forwards. She turned towards Thorax and Silverstream. “You deal with Pharynx. I’ve got Adagio.” “Are you sure?” Silverstream raised an eyebrow. Pharynx got up off the ground, clutching his skull while stumbling a bit. Sunset nodded. “I am.” Silverstream shrugged and ran off with Thorax towards Pharynx. Sunset turned towards Gilda next. “You think I can take her?” “I? You mean we.” Gilda snorted. “Gilda …I don’t want to put you into danger.” Sunset pleaded as Adagio began to walk through the rubble towards them. The wood crunched under the woman’s heels, and she had a blank expression upon her face. “Sunset. We’re partners …and that means we face things together.” Gilda snorted. Sunset let out a sigh. “Nothing I say will convince you will it? Gilda grinned. “Nope. You’ll have to drag me away and tie me down to stop me.” Sunset rolled her eyes and smiled. “Fine then …come one partner.” The two of them strutted forwards and approached Adagio. They and Adagio stopped when there was about five meters between them. They eyed each other, waiting for the other side to make their move first. “I now possess the witchblade. Nothing will stop me from retrieving the other half.” “Big words coming from someone who needed others to do her dirty work.” Sunset snarked. She put her hands up in a fighting stance and glared at Adagio. “The witchblade is bound to me, you are nothing but an usurper, an unworthy wielder!” “I know your past Sunset.” Adagio hissed. “How you tormented your school, how you threw your weight around, and how you delved into the dark arts.” Sunset froze as the words pierced her soul. Doubts that were buried began to rise up as she stared Adagio down. Her hands clenched tightly as Adagio gave a cruel grin before raising up her right hand, now completely covered with the witchblade. Sunset was broken out of her thoughts when somebody took her hand. She looked to the side and saw that it was Gilda, standing next to her. “Don’t let her get to you kid. You are not the person you were in the past …it is what you are today that matter.” Gilda gave her a soft smile. Sunset nodded and returned the gesture. “Thank you.” Sunset then closed her eyes and took in a breath. ‘I am ready Sara.’ {Then brace yourself kid.} A bright light enveloped Sunset, blinding everyone in the backyard. A couple of reporters arrived at the scene just to get blinded by the sudden light that emanated from Sunset. Gilda continued to hold her hand, but had to look away from the sheer intensity of the light that shot outwards. Adagio also had to flinch away, the light being too much for her to handle as well. As the light dimmed down, Sunset walked forwards, her attire now different than before. Her entire body was enveloped with bright steel-like armor. It was rugged and jagged with two blands extending along her forearms. Sharp tendrils stuck out from her shoulder blades outwards behind her, with a small police badge indent over her heart. Adagio began to shake as Sunset’s hair turned into a shade of light brown. Bronze flames began to flicker from the sclera of Sunset’s eyes. Those eyes, the armor, she recognized it somewhere, perhaps from a different life, a different time. But there was only one thing Adagio could think of. “You.” Adagio hissed. “You are the one unworthy Adagio. Though my past is dark, my future is bright. Unlike yours.” Sunset’s voice boomed. “Who are you to call me unworthy!” Adagio roared before dashing forwards. Sunset felt the witchblade stretch over her entire body, sensing the increased danger. She put her hands up, intercepting Adagio’s strike with her clawed hands. The woman struck furiously, with Sunset blocking each with increased ferocity. Adagio swung at Sunset’s head, missing as she ducked under the strike. Sunset saw this opportunity and struck with a punch right into Adagio’s stomach. Adagio spat out blood as she keeled over. This provided enough distraction for Gilda to dash to the side and strike forwards with her talons. The talons struck true and pierced Adagio’s chest, causing the woman to let out a roar of anger. Adagio threw a kick towards Gilda who barely managed to dodge out of the way, the kick causing her jacket to ripple. Sunset willed a blade to extend out from her arm which she then used to slash at Adagio, creating a large gash in the woman’s torso. They looked to have the advantage, but the fight turned as Adagio suddenly manifested a claymore within her hand. Sunsets barely managed to duck under one of her swings, but was promptly kicked backwards by the woman. Adagio slammed the pommel of her blade into Gilda’s skull, knocking the girl backwards. “How is that woman still standing? I jammed my talons right into her lungs!” Gilda exclaimed. “She has the other half of the witchblade, it’s healing her!” Sunset explained. “I don’t know what a witchblade is, but do you know how we can get it off her?!” Gilda asked. {Detective's eye!} “Detective’s eye.” Sunset muttered out alongside Pezzini’s voice. Sunset narrowed her eyes, and noticed that her vision was now more focused. She could pick up more details, and predict the movements of Adagio in front of her. Adagio was very familiar with the claymore, that was one thing Sunset was sure of. Adagio’s armor began to shift and morph. It enveloped the woman’s entire body, covering her from head to toe. Sunset could only gawk as a Christian cross appeared over Adagio’s torso, her armor becoming bright white. “The holy grail.” Sunset’s brain began to piece everything together. “You were a crusader, or lived during the time didn’t you?” “I was.” Adagio confirmed. “But before I met Godlife, I was a simple prostitute, living on the streets. She gave me new life.” Adagio gripped her sword. “I will be reunited with her one way or another, and you will not stop me.” “Is this what she would have wanted!” Sunset shouted, her voice different than before, slowly shifting into that of an older woman. “If she saw what you were doing, she would be horrified!” “You know nothing of her!” Adagio dashed towards Sunset. Sunset blocked Adagio’s sword strike with her arm blades, and the two pushed against each other. “You do not get to judge Sunset Shimmer!” Sunset pushed Adagio’s claymore to the side and manifested mental tendrils from her left hand to grab the woman’s right arm. Sunset’s enhanced eyes saw that Adagio was going to grab her tendrils, but she also saw Gilda running up behind the woman. Sunset let Adagio grab the tendrils and pull her forwards before gripping her by the neck. Sunset was about to twist herself out of Adagio’s grip and throw the woman down, but Gilda threw a wrench in those plans. Gilda stabbed her talons under Adagio’s arm, causing the woman to roar out in anger. The woman slashed at Gilda, but the girl turned out to be more agile and she managed to duck under the slash, a few strands of her hair being cut in the process. Sunset took this opportunity to manifest a baton in her hands which she used to slam into Adagio’s skull. The woman stumbled backwards giving Gilda an opening. The girl slashed at Adagio’s head, but it turned out to be a mistake. Adagio grabbed Gilda’s arm with astonishing speed. She threw the girl down into the ground with a loud crack before gripping her by the neck. Sunset struck forwards with her blade but her eyes saw Adagio’s knee coming up. She quickly dodged to the side just as Adagio manifested metallic wires out of her left arm. “The witchblade will be mine!” Adagio roared. “And it will when you’re dead!” {Claw of Darkness!} “Claw of Darkness!” Sunset roared alongside Sara’s voice. With her enhanced reflexes, she grabbed the metallic wires with blackened claws, and felt a surge of power enter her. Adagio’s eyes widened in panic as she tried to pull away, but Sunset’s grip was like iron. The witchblade began to transfer into her, but not fast enough. Adagio began to focus on Sunset, trying to pull the powers of the witchblade back towards her. Sunset noticed that Gilda was about to kick Adagio in the back of her skull. A figure caught her eye though, one that lurked behind the gate with a spear in their hands. Detective’s eyes couldn’t see figures features, as if it was being obscured by a veil that the ability couldn’t see through. However, she saw that the person was about to toss the spear over the fence over towards them. Sara’s ability predicted the trajectory, and saw that it was aimed towards Gilda. “Gilda! To your left!” Sunset shouted as the spear was thrown over. Gilda followed Sunset’s direction just as the spear was thrown in the air. The girl quickly grabbed the spear out of the air, and as if it was natural to her, she stabbed it right into Adagio’s neck. Adagio let out a cry of pain, distracting her enough for Sunset to finally pull more of witchblade’s power than she would have. Gilda was dropped to the ground, and the girl took this opportunity to impale Adagio right through the stomach. She lifted the woman into the air before slamming her into the ground. Adagio tumbled on the ground as the metallic armor that once covered her began to dissolve. She lifted up a hand as the metal that covered it disintegrated into dust. The only part of witchblade that she still possessed only covered her right arm. “It’s over Adagio.” “No …” Adagio hissed. “No it will be your life that will be over!” Out of the last manifestations of witchblade, Adagio created a claymore. She ran at Sunset, who created two batons within her hands. Detective’s eyes made it simple for Sunset to dodge Adagio’s strikes as the woman swung wildly at her. It became more and more sloppy, eventually allowing Sunset the opportunity to grab her arm. Gilda appeared to the side and used her spear to buckle Adagio’s legs. Sunset kicked Adagio in the face, knocking the woman backward, followed by Gilda, who slashed up with her spear into the woman’s face. Gilda twirled her spear before stabbing down through Adagio’s stomach, pushing the woman back, and pinning the woman into the earth. Adagio let out a wet gurgle as she gripped the spear, kicking and struggling to push up from the ground. Sunset walked up to Adagio and stood over the woman who pathetically tried to claw at Sunset. “The Witchblade was and has never been yours to possess.” Sunset reached down and grabbed Adagio’s right hand. Adagio watched with horror as the last vestiges of the Witchblade joined back with Sunset. Sunset felt the full power of the Witchblade reenter her body. Adagio slumped down back onto the ground, staring up at the night sky as tears traveled down her cheek. Her plan had failed; all her planning had resulted in nothing. Sunset could not help but look down at the woman in pity. Sunset heard a sudden crack. She looked over her shoulder to see Silverstream kicking Pharynx right in the skull. Thorax used his spear to stab right through his brother's hand, causing the man to drop his own weapon. Thorax twisted his spear, ripping Pharynx’s hand off. Pharynx cried out in rage before Silverstream grabbed the man by the legs and pulled him off the ground. Pharynx slammed into the field with a loud crack before turning still. To commemorate the victory, two head was tossed into the field, right in front of Sunset. She looked up to see Aria with a large scowl on her face. The woman looked to have seen better days with gashes and cuts all over her body. Her clothes and skin was torn, cut, slashed and bruised. “Yes, please, leave me alone with two of Chrysalis' most advanced guards.” “I was sure you could handle it.” Silverstream smirked while Aria wiped the green blood off her blade. Aria flipped the girl off before approaching Sunset and Adagio. She looked down at her sister with a smirk. “How the mighty fall doesn’t it sister.” “Kill me and get it over with.” Adagio hoarsely whimpered. “Gladly.” Aria smirked as she lifted up her blade over Adagio, but Sunset grabbed her arm. “No.” Sunset shook her head. “What are you doing?” Aria scowled. “Do you know what this woman has done? What she can do?” “What have you done?” Sunset raised an eyebrow. Aria was silent after that question. “Do you know what I have done either?” “Sunset. She’s a psychotic, power hungry murderer. Should we really spare her?” Gilda scoffed. Sunset closed her eyes before kneeling next to Adagio. “You must let go.” Was all she could say to the woman. “What do you know about letting go?” Adagio sneered. “You don’t know what it’s like …seeing your loved ones abandon you.” Adagio let out a small sob. “But I do,” Sunset answered. Adagio looked up, and the two women met eye contact. “But the most you can do is to never give up, and to always move forwards.” She explained as her eyes noticed officers getting out of their police cars before moving towards the fields. “As long as you remember them, they will never go away.” Sunset formed two metal wings upon her back and grabbed Gilda by the arm. “Hope you don’t get airsick easily.” She smirked. “Nah. I actually like the air.” Gilda smiled softly. Sunset turned towards Silverstream and Thorax, both who were carrying Pharynx in their arms. She also looked over at Aria who was scowling at the police officers running towards them. “You guys need a lift?” Sunset asked. “My legs are my ride.” Silverstream snorted. Thorax snapped his fingers and two wings appeared upon his back. Sunset raised an eyebrow to Aria who just let out a scoff. “I didn’t become the number one assassin by getting caught.” Aria sheathed her sword and tipped her head. “Until next time …Witchblade.” “The next time we meet, I hope it’ll be more cordial.” Sunset narrowed her eyes. Aria simply grinned. “I look forwards to it.” She remarked before leaping over the fence before blurring into the darkness and disappearing as if she was never there. “Nice working with you witchblade.” Silverstream nodded before turning towards Gilda. “Take good care of that spear now you hear.” “Actually, I have been meaning to ask. Who is it from?” Gilda asked as she turned towards the area beyond the fence which it had been thrown from. “An old friend.” Silverstream smiled before brushing her hand towards them. “Now go, before the cops begin to ask questions I don’t want to answer.” Sunset looked around Silverstream and saw that the cops were indeed closing in on them. “Until next time then.” Sunset nodded as she held Gilda close, and lifted off into the air right before the cops began to surround them. She looked down and saw Silverstream disappear in a blur along with Thorax, leaving behind Adagio, kneeling in the grass. The cops stared up as Sunset flew above the clouds and back home. She held Gilda close, making sure the girl didn’t slip from her hands. They flew in silence for a while, with Gilda gripping the spear given to her close, closely analyzing the weapon. She eventually broke the silence though. “Guess this explains why you were so secretive all the time.” Gilda smirked. “I just received the Witchblade, and I was still adjusting to it.” Sunset snorted. “I’m sorry though. I should have let you in on it.” “Nah …it’s fine. Everyone has their own secrets.” Gilda looked up somberly at the clouds above her. “Even me.” “Will you ever tell me now that you know my secret?” Sunset smirked. Gilda let out a snort. “Someday. Now let’s get home.” The girl remarked as the pair flew back to Celestia’s residence. Witchblade Sunset managed to fly back to Celestia’s home in one piece, and saw that the lights were on. She pursed her lips as she flew into her room with Gilda in her arms. She could hear Celestia’s and Luna’s voice through the walls, and she could only imagine what the two were saying. “Damn it, how long were we out?” Sunset whispered as she placed Gilda down on the floor. “I think I left the house around six.” Gilda guessed. “So I’ve been out of the house for about an hour. You’ve been out for a while.” “Well shit.” Sunset looked down at her current attire at the moment, and didn’t wish to explain to Celestia and Luna why she was dressed like someone from a metal band album. “Gilda. Can you hold them off while I change?” “Oh.” Gilda pursed her lips as if the sudden realization at what Sunset was wearing finally dawned on her. “Yeah.” “Can you quickly turn around and look away?” Sunset asked. “I need to detransform and change quickly.” Gilda obliged and turned away, turning towards a wall. Sunset let out a exasperated sigh as she felt the witchblade retract from her body and into the bracelet on her wrist. Now stark naked, she looked around the room for a fresh pair of clothes, before eyeing a set of dirty clothes on the ground. Though not ideal, it was better than nothing, so she quickly put it on as humanly possible. ‘Must you always shred my clothes?’ }}}Yes. I require direct contact with the users body. It can’t be interfered by any object, even clothing.{{{ ‘That’s annoying.’ Sunset rolled her eyes. “Sunset, I think Celestia’s coming.” Gilda snapped. “I’m changed.” Sunset affirmed before turning around. It was just in time since the second she turned around, the door to their room opened, revealing a very disgruntled Celestia. “Sunset? How did you …where were you?!” Celestia demanded to know as she stormed up to Sunset. “Do you know how worried I was for this past hour?!” “I know, and I’m sorry, but there was something important …” Sunset tried to explain but was cut off by her principal. “I came home to see that nobody was home! And the cops outside tell me that both you and Gilda had been missing for an entire hour! And that Gilda went off with a couple of strangers!” Celestia continue to rant. “It is still beyond me why they let you out without any supervision1” “Oh yeah.” Sunset winced. “Those two.” Behind Celestia, she could see Gilda trying to slip away. Sunset glared at the girl who just shrugged. Unfortunately, the girl bumped into Luna, who stopped in her tracks. She looked up with pursed lips, looking up at a very angry vice-principal. “And you!” Celestia suddenly turned her attention towards Gilda. “Where did you run off? The officers told me that Sunset came back home, only for you to quickly rush out with two strangers!” The rainbow haired woman face began to turn red as she continued on scolding the two girls. Sunset cringed, pushing through her surrogate mothers wrath whose temperament currently match one of a sun going supernova. “I have been losing my mind for the past HOUR!” Celestia finally shrieked. “Sister!” Luna finally snapped. “I understand that you were worried. So was I, especially after the recent attacks. But you are acting feral right now.” “I am completely calm!” Celestia snapped. “Ok.” Luna sighed as she pulled Celestia to the side. “Let me handle this.” She then turned towards Sunset. “Where have you two been? Do you understand how worried my sister and I was?” “I know, and I am sorry.” Sunset muttered. “It wasn’t right for me to go off on my own. It was unfair.” “Unfair isn’t the right word. It was reckless and irresponsible. What if you got hurt or kidnapped? I think it’s fair for us to be worried, especially after the recent string of mystery murders.” Luna shook her head. “I understand.” Sunset mumbled, her head hung low, looking away from Luna’s glare. “You two are grounded until the lockdown is finished.” Luna finally stated. “What? You’re not my mother!” Gilda protested. “But we are your guardians at the time being.” Luna snapped back. “Must I remind you there are violent murderers on the loose?!” Sunset pursed her lips. “I almost forgot.” “You best work on your memory then.” Luna scowled. “It’ll keep you safer.” Luna turned around and walked out the room allowing Celestia to stand before the two girls now. “Can you two now tell me where you have been all night?” Their principal asked. Sunset panicked as she realized that she didn’t plan for when Celestia and Luna inevitably asked her where she was. She wracked her brain for a potential excuse that would allow her to not tell Celestia that she had dipped her hand into more magic shenanigans. ‘Quickly brain. Make an excuse!’ “I went to a party.” Sunset’s brain decided. “A party? Today? Where?” Luna scoffed. “A secret one.” Gilda quickly interjected. “I have connections. Those two were my party pals back in …middle school.” “Must have been one hell of a party.” Luna raised an eyebrow. Gilda nodded. “Yes …it was.” “So great that it lasted only an hour since you and your friend must have spent hours at home.” Luna narrowed her eyes. “And judging from when the police said you left, it would have been an hour and a half long party.” “Yeah? So what?” “Most parties last much longer.” Luna snorted. “I have been to my share of parties, so unless it suddenly changed the past few years, I’m sure you’re leaving something out.” “It was just a party.” Sunset added in before shrugging. “We left early.” Luna opened her mouth to continue pushing them, but Celestia put her hand on her sister's shoulder. “Just let it go Luna.” Celestia sighed. “You aren’t a police interrogator.” “Whatever.” Luna backed up. She pointed at her eyes and then towards Sunset and Gilda. “I’m watching you two.” “I’m sure you will.” Gilda snorted before Luna walked away. Celestia let out an exapserated sigh as she watched her sister walk off. “Sunset, you need to be more careful.” Her principal sighed. “I understand.” Sunset nodded. “I have actually been told that a lot recently.” “You should heed their advice.” Her principal leaned forwards. “We only have one life on this world.” “We understand Celestia.” Gilda sighed. “I’m just glad you aren’t yelling at us anymore.” “I was yelling cause I had complete radio silence from you for the past hour.” “I lost my phone at the warehouse.” Sunset muttered. “But I know I should have tried to contact you through other means.” “Sunset.” Celestia put her hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Please remember. I am here to help you. Please don’t hide things from me, or go running off. Never be scared to ask for help.” Sunset gave her principal a soft smile. “I understand. I know that now.” She was given a smile from Celestia who started towards the door. “You are still grounded though.” Unable to hold back a snort, Sunset simply nodded. “I know. Me and Gilda won’t try anything reckless.” Her principal nodded in confirmation before giving the two a small smile. “It’s late you two. Get a good rest and get ready for tomorrow.” Celestia sighed before turning around and walking off. Gilda closed the door after Celestia walked back into her room. She turned towards Sunset who sat down on the bed. “Today did not go the way I thought it would go.” Gilda sighed as she sat down next to Sunset. “Speedsters, changelings, crusaders and super assassins. What have you gotten us into Sunset Shimmer?” “Hey. You chose to come along.” Sunset pouted. That got a hearty laugh out of Gilda. “That’s fair. Can’t ever sit down still.” Gilda was silent for second before continuing. “I guess it is something I was never able to shake off.” “Well. If it means anything, I think it’s a good feature to have.” Sunset shrugged. “Never being able to sit still?” Gilda snorted. “The drive to never stop fighting, to never be passive.” Sunset let out a small snort. “What can I say. I’m the same way.” She looked down at her bracelet. “Do you want to know what I said to myself after Anon-A-Miss began to frame me?” “What did you say?” Gilda asked. Sunset got up off the bed and walked up in front of Gilda. “That Anon-A-Miss can go fuck herself. If I have to fight against the world to get to her, that’s exactly what I’ll do.” She gripped her bracelet where the witchblade was. “Because when the world pushes you down, do you know what you do?” Sunset stuck a middle finger in the air. “You tell them to fuck off! You lift your head up and stick this in their face.” }}}Well said.{{{ Gilda smiled and stood up from the bed. “Well said. Something tells me we’ll get along well.” She pat Sunset on the shoulder. “Just remember you don’t have to fight by yourself.” “I know.” Gilda let out a snort. “So what now?” Sunset scrunched her eyes as she thought long and hard. After a few seconds of thinking, she finally came to a conclusion. “I think now …we sleep. It has been a long day.” “Wisest thing you’ve said all day.” Gilda laughed. Witchblade Diamond Tiara woke up to find herself lying down on a couch in her living room. She looked around, confused, until her eyes noticed her mother sitting on the table next to her. Her mother had a grim expression on her face, one that the woman immediately tried to cover up when she saw that Tiara was awake. “What happened?” Tiara groaned. “All I remember was being with the Canterlot Move Club. Though the reason why escapes me.” “You had a bit too much soda to drink.” Spoiled Rich answered. “Your friends went home with mild headaches.” “Too much soda?” Tiara wracked her brain for any memories of soda, but nothing came to mind. “Don’t remember that happening.” “You need a good nights rest.” Spoiled Rich answered simply. The woman’s opal dress ruffled in unnatural ways, seemingly distorting and shimmering as she stood up. Tiara shook her head though, and just chalked it up to just being the headache pounding in her skull. “Yeah.” Tiara muttered, her thoughts cloudy and muddled. She felt as she was in a haze, like walking out of a dream into another one, stuck transitioning between the two worlds. Usually, she remembered her mother being more strict about improper behavior, but for some reason, Spoiled wasn’t making a fuss about her behavior. “Yeah …sleep.” “Goodnight daughter.” Spoiled said as she watched Diamond Tiara slowly get up and wander out of the living room toward her room. She made sure her daughter walked through her bedroom door and close it as well. Spoiled closed her eyes and let out a sigh as a familiar presence entered her room. She opened her eyes and laced her hands together. She turned towards the figure behind her, an obsidian skinned woman wearing jade armor. “Chrysalis. What is the occasion?” Spoiled asked. “Adagio has been defeated.” The woman answered directly, planting herself onto the couch. “Witchblade wiped the floor with her.” “What?” Spoiled scowled. “Weren’t you there with her?” “I was dealing with the mansion that fell over my head, and the fucking Cyberforce.” “Yet Adagio is still dead.” “Not dead. Defeated. She has been taken into custody for gross negligence. However, rumors that she may put on trial for more egregious crimes.” Chrysalis sighed. “The situation has changed, so we must adapt.” “Must I remind you that you still have yet to deliver. We are doing our part, but if you fail, our contract is void.” Spoiled sneered. “Oh Spoiled. Your intelligence and social awareness is clouded by your pride.” Chrysalis sighed. “Must I remind you the consequences of failure for the wendigos?” The obsidian skinned woman looked up at Spoiled. The woman face scrunched up in pure fury as she resisted the urge to strike at Chrysalis, but even she knew that was foolish. “No.” “Than I suggest you provide me with a more cheerful tone.” Chrysalis scowled. “I have already made the adjustments to our plan. I am here you have also made the proper adjustments.” Spoiled closed her eyes and somberly nodded. “The four horseman …has found their anchors.” “Good. I quite liked them. More civilized and …level-headed.” Chrysalis smiled. “So is the purpose of your visit just a status report?” Spoiled scoffed. “No. There is another matter. Aria has gone rogue and allied with the witchblade. She is against us now. I believe I shouldn’t have to tell you why this is bad.” Chrysalis added. Spoiled bristled at the news. “No, you don’t.” “Good. Then I also don’t need to tell you why she needs to be taken out of the equation as soon as possible.” Chrysalis said. “Get your wendigos on her and the witchblade.” “I’m running thin on resources.” Spoiled scowled. “We are still looking for Lust, Greed, and Wrath.” “Wendigos.” Chrysalis shook her head. “That’s why you demons always fail. Feral, unorganized, and downright uncivilized.” “I’ll get them under control.” Spoiled hissed angrily. “You better. Because if you don’t, I will. And we both know how badly that will end for you.” Chrysalis sneered. The woman walked over towards the window in the living room and flung it open with ease. Two dark green, bony wings sprouted from her back. The woman turned towards Spoiled Rich and shot her a glare. “Two weeks!” Chrysalis jumped out of the window and flew off into the night sky. Spoiled could only watch as she pressed her hands on the windowsill. Something weighed heavily on her, and it was wrapping her heart. It was a feeling of betrayal, a betrayal from her to her daughter. She closed her eyes a let out a sigh. {Having second thoughts? Doubts?} “No. I will see this through.” {I am sure you will.} “I will need to wrangle wrath and lust somehow.” Spoiled snarled. {They won’t escape our grasp forever. Our pride won’t allow them} Spoiled looked out the window and let out a low growl. “I know.” {What about the witchblade and her new ally?} “Their luck will eventually run out.” Spoiled gripped her windowsill, causing it to crack. “Because sooner or later, I’ll find them, and will have to face me.” Author's Note Hello there Hi Wow, this arc was longer than I originally intended it to be. The original arc was extremely short and I intended this arc to be the same length as well. However, multiple wrenches were thrown into the mix and it ended up being much longer than I originally intended. Anyways, I changed the final fight a little bit. The original fight had just Kenneth Irons and Sarah against each other with her partner kind of just there. Also Nottingham gets just kicked out almost immediately and I was so disappointed seeing him just get thrown out the window. Also, the final fight was kind of anti-climatic in the comics when Sarah kind of just destroys Kenneth Irons. I tried to make the fight a bit more two-dimensional, but it is kind of difficult with an object like the witchblade. I am also i including the Cyberforce into this story. Cyberforce and Witchblade are in the same universe, but there is almost no screen time with the both of them on screen. From what I know, cyberforce only appears with Sarah in the artifact series which happened right before the REBOOT. Next arcs will be shorter and a bit more compact and organized. I have plans for them and will get to writing it as soon as possible when I have time. University sucks, but I promise I will get it out and it will be a full arc. I hope you enjoyed reading my fanfic, feel free to write any critiques in the comic below. :)
(Case 2-1 Ninkasi): Dread and HungerAfter the fight with the human world’s Adagio Dazzle, Sunset Shimmer was certain that whoever she worked for would retaliate by having one of the biggest sponsors taken out. However, contrary to her belief, the next few days ended up being extremely uneventful. She ended up staying at Celestia’s home for the next week as things began to die down. Though nothing much of note happened, that didn’t mean Sunset Shimmer stayed passive. The day after the Adagio Irons was taken out, Pinkie stopped by Celestia's home. When Sunset answered the door, she was greeted by a massive bear hug and was nearly taken out by Pinkie's enthusiasm. "You're alive! You're alive!" Pinkie cried out while Sunset struggled to breathe. Sunset and Gilda then had to proceed to explain to Celestia what Pinkie meant by that, which took a good day and a half. They ended up making up the cover story that Sunset went with a shady stranger near where the mansion explosion happened. Pinkie got worried, and that was what the girl meant when she said that Sunset was 'alive'. That seemed to do the trick, and Sunset was relieved that she was able to hide the truth from Pinkie and Celestia. She didn't want those two dragged into the mess Sunset was currently residing in. Then, throughout the entire week, she and Gilda tried to further their investigation, with Sunset using her powers of the Witchblade to her advantage. Her new powers allowed her to navigate areas she normally wouldn't have been able to access without the ability to fly or cut through anything she needed to. She ended up breaking and entering many areas in order to get the information she needed. However, despite how much she searched, she ended up finding nothing. It seemed as if all the trails from Anon-A-Miss came to an end or suddenly disappeared. Whoever Adagio was working with didn't want their identity or alliances to be known. They were hiding well, which worried Sunset about how much power and influence these individuals truly had. This didn't stop her, though. She kept updated on Anon-A-Miss using her laptop and kept track of the secrets they were posting. After the incident at Adagio Iron's manor, the number of murders suddenly shot down. After the decrease in mystery murders, she was given more freedom to roam the city, and the police were less stringent. According to the news, Adagio Iron's backdoor dealing with the black market and criminal gangs was being brought to light by an anonymous informant. Much of her wealth was being investigated, but the way it related to her was Adagio's connection with the mystery murders. This mysterious informant brought light to Adagio's efforts to cover the tracks of the murderers, and all the evidence conveniently appeared at the doorstep of multiple police stations and news stations. There were many speculations as to who this mysterious informant was, but Sunset knew that it could only be Aria, wherever she may be at the moment. In many people's eyes, the mystery murders had come to an end, but Sunset knew better. Adagio was only the tip of the iceberg. So Sunset continued working. The Nottingham had confirmed that there was some connection between the mystery murders and Anon-A-Miss, so she began to connect evidence from the two cases. She went back to her apartment and began to work on her evidence board. The time, the victims, the location, and more of the murders and of the Anon-A-Miss posts were all put together. There was a pattern; Sunset was certain of it, but what it was was the million-dollar question. On Saturday, she was visited by Shining Armor and informed that the lockdown and surveillance were finally being lifted. Shining expressed confidence that Sunset and Gilda's life was no longer in danger due to one of the major culprits being caught. "The murderers who were under Adagio Iron's payroll won't dare move for a while, and certainly not against you." Shining armor promised. "We are still looking for the culprits, but I am confident we will catch them soon." Sunset simply nodded and smiled. She hoped it was true, but she doubted it. So, on Saturday, she began to move out of Celestia's home, finally going back to her apartment. Gilda had to convince Celestia to let Sunset go after the principal was informed of the new changes. Sunset wanted to stay and take the woman's offer to stay, but she couldn't. She needed her autonomy, and it was also for Celestia's own safety. The woman reminded her of the Celestia back home in Equestria, and no matter how much she wished to return to a semblance of that life, she knew she couldn't live in the past. After moving all of her stuff back in, with some help from Gilda, she showed the girl her board. While she put her gecko's cage back into her apartment, Gilda looked over the board. They went through some brainstorming and bounced ideas off each other, but they didn't seem to get anywhere. There just wasn't enough evidence somehow, and they needed to wait. That was all they could do in the end. On Sunday, Sunset kept her promise with Pinky and held a sleepover with the girl. Gilda also ended up coming, failing to announce her arrival and scaring the dickens out of the party girl. The permanent scowl on Gilda's face probably didn't help. However, after the usual sling of insults was thrown at each other, Sunset managed to get the both of them to calm down and sit relatively peacefully together in her apartment. The three of them were in the middle of watching a movie about a vampire slayer named Buffy. It was a fun show, but her mind was wandering elsewhere. She couldn't help but focus on recent events, on everything that had happened and occurred the past week. At this point, she would have preferred if Anon-A-Miss made further moves because the radio silence and lack of activity were nerve-wracking. She could only imagine what plans the demons had, and if they were taking so long, it couldn't have been good. "Sunset? You okay?" Pinkie asked, snapping Sunset out of her trance. "Y-yeah. Just a lot of things on my mind." Sunset nodded. "It's nothing to be worried about." "Sunset, I can tell when something is on your mind. Want to talk about it?" Pinkie asked. "It's nothing. I promise." "Sunny ..." "She said to drop it." Gilda snapped. "You don't get to tell me what to do!" Pinkie shot back. "Guys, drop it." Sunset sighed, feeling drained from the tension between the two. "I'm sorry, Pinkie. I'm just feeling a bit drained." "I understand..." Pinkie muttered. "So am I." That statement caused Sunset to raise an eyebrow. From all the time she had spent with Pinkie and known her, the girl never seemed to run out of energy. However, now, Pinkie seemed to be a bit distant and much quieter than she had ever been. "What's wrong? You're quieter than usual." Sunset asked Pinkie. "It's just stuff at home." Pinkie sighed. There was a second of silence as the girl rubbed her face. "Maud is being a bit overprotective of me at the moment." "Are you sure? Thought that was Limestone's thing." Gilda snorted. "So did I, but after the attack on our home ....Maud blames it on you." Pinkie sighed. "She warned me to stay away from you for my own safety. Whatever that means." "Never took Maud to be an overprotective one," Sunset muttered. "Neither did I. We got into an argument, and I can tell when Maud is getting frustrated," Pinkie explained. "Things at my house are getting tense. That's it." The girl explained. "I know you'll figure it out, Pinkie." Sunset smiled as she patted the girl gently on the shoulder. "You always do. Remember the time when you tried to throw a forgiveness party for Diamond Tiara?" Sunset snorted. That got a chuckle out of the party girl. "She ended up complaining about the glitter and confetti on her clothes for weeks," Pinkie smirked. "You can never go overboard with confetti and glitter, though!" "I remember that party." Gilda nodded. "You blew out one of the windows in the classroom." "I sure did." Pinkie laughed. "I'm not sure how you even managed that!" Gilda snorted. "It was honestly astonishing!" "It's a trade secret." Pinkie smiled. She let out a small laugh before turning towards Sunset. "Thank you." "Things will get better Pinkie. Don't let anyone dampen your party mood." Sunset smirked. "Also you too Gilda!" Pinkie blurted abruptly as she suddenly enveloped the girl in a large bear hug. Gilda raised her hands up with an expression that seemed to be standing between choosing either to explode as a ticking time bomb or coughing in awkwardness. Sunset raised an eyebrow and stared Gilda in the eyes to tell say 'let Pinke have this one thing'. Gilda let out a sigh and awkwardly pat Pinkie, causing the girl's hair to bounce a bit. "Ok, ok. That's enough touchy feelings for today." The girl grumbled as Pinkie continued to hold onto her. "Let go now!" "Sorry." Pinkie said as she retracted her hug. "Thanks guys." "Don't worry about it Pinkie." Sunset nodded. "We'll be here for you whenever you need us." "I know," Pinkie said as she leaned against Sunset, not noticing Gilda's building frustration that seemed as if it was going to erupt any time soon. "I just hope ....things get better soon." "So do I." Sunset muttered. "So do I." Witchblade The next day, Sunset was awoken up by the alarm blaring next to her ear. She let out a small grumble and shut the alarm off, and dragged herself out of bed. She managed to kick Gilda up and shake the girl awake while Pinkie quickly jumped up and began to get ready for the school day. Her energy seemed to have returned, which made Sunset happy for the girl. Gilda seemed less enthusiastic, saying that the girl needed to 'go easy on the sugar'. After they all managed to get dressed and ready, they walked and made their way to the bus stop. Sunset began to miss her bike. The fact that it got turned into molten slag by the demons and thanks to the Nottingham. She couldn't help but grumble as she sat down on the bus bench next to Gilda. "I miss my bike." Sunset couldn't help but grumble. "I miss my car." Gilda snorted. "Oh yeah, you both lost your vehicles, didn't you?" Pinkie pointed out as she swung her legs from her seat. "Why was that warehouse so combustible?" Gilda growled. "What kind of imbecile leaves such hazardous materials just lying around." "ChangeData is doing an internal investigation." Sunset shrugged. "But we both know how that will go." "Well, at least it's all past us now." Pinkie beamed as she bounced in her seat. Sunset's focus was on the street, waiting for the bus to arrive, that she failed to notice the two figures approaching her until they were right next to her. The hint that alerted her to the arrival of two new people was a low growl. She looked over her shoulder to see none other than Octavia and her girlfriend, Vinyl. "Of course you're here," Octavia grumbled. "Nice to see you too. I see you're in a good mood." "Oh please, you know what you did." Octavia sneered. "Had a lot of time to work on Anon-A-Miss, didn't you, with your break." "Hey, it was for her own safety!" Pinkie protested. "Yeah, right! If she was at the warehouse, she wouldn't be standing here!" Octavia snapped. "She would be a puddle on the ground! Not to mention Anon-A-Miss conveniently posted right before she supposedly disappeared!" "Ah, shit. That post." Sunset mumbled under her breath. After everything that had happened, the post from Anon-A-Miss about Octavia and her secret eating habits had gone under her radar. "The one where you bought the double scoop ice-cream cone, right?" Pinkie pursed her lips. "Oh. Now I remember." "Seriously? You're pissed over a stupid photo of you stuffing your face? Out of anything else that could have gotten your panties in a twist, that was what made you angry?" Gilda snorted. "My parents gave me hell after that photo!" Octavia roared. Everyone around her did a double take except for Gilda, who simply just raised an eyebrow. "She's making me ...." Octavia looked away with a scowl. "Not giving you any more information." "Make you do what?" Sunset asked. "Damn you to hell, Shimmer!" Octavia snapped before turning away and walking off. The girl turned her back to the ground and stood next to the bus stop sign. Vinyl turned towards Sunset and let out a small sigh before following after her girlfriend to comfort her. "Blast. How could I forget that Anon-A-Miss pinned everything on me." Sunset mumbled. "I was so focused on the recent murders ...." She muttered under her breath. "I haven't been on MyStable for a while," Pinkie admitted. "Didn't like the vibe it was giving." The girl turned to Sunset. "Ignore them, Sunny. They are just a bunch of meanies. Anyone who thinks it's you never liked you from the beginning anyways." "Does that include Rarity, Appledash, Rainbow, and Fluttershy?" Sunset asked. That earned Pinkie's silence as the girl stared down at the ground. "Honestly. I'm the most forgiving one of the group. Rarity never really forgave you for what you did at the spring fling. Appledash has a long memory, and Fluttershy ....well, when her trust is broken ....; and RainbowDash is protective of her." Pinkie shrugged. "I think they forgave, but never forgot." "I don't think you lot ever forgave Sunset." Gilda snorted. "Hey! I did forgive her!" "Only after a magical princess from another country asked you to." Gilda turned towards Pinkie. "She had to ask you to do her a favor in order to open up to her. To me, that sounds like something you were roped into doing, not something you wanted to." "Well, how would you know?" Pinkie pouted. "I'll let you know I threw Sunset the biggest Forgiveness party I could." "Guys, shut it!" Sunset snapped as she rested her chin against her hands. "We need to focus! Anon-A-Miss is the issue ahead of us." }}}I disagree. The demons that attacked us are the biggest issue at the moment. They still have not yet been caught.{{{ 'I am aware. Thank you Witchblade }}}I understand that you are enjoying the company of your friends and mate, but the demons take priority over your relationships.{{{ 'She's not my ....Forget it. I can do both' }}}Many wielders have tried to manage their friendships and romantic life along with their duties. It never ended well. I suggest you learn from their mistakes and focus more on the demons.{{{ 'Anon-A-Miss is related to the demons, so I am handling it.' }}}That site is a simple front. We both know this. What we need to do is patrol more.{{{ 'I can't. I've got class. I'm a high school student, remember? }}}Schooling is temporary, duty is eternal.{{{ 'I'm not skipping class.' }}}I have heard little of this high school, but it sounds boring and a waste of time. I suspect you aren't going for experience, but rather to hang out with your mate.{{{ 'You say mate one more time, and I'm banging you against the seat.' }}}Apologies ....I mean to say, concubines.{{{{ In response to the snarky comment, Sunset immediately lifted up her right hand and slammed it against the metal bench, causing the bracelet to shake. She could feel it heating up on her wrist, and the Witchblade's feeling about her current action echoed within her mind. }}}How dare you! Do you understand what I am? My power!? I have defeated gods' demons and brought kings to their knees! You will show me the proper respect or else....!{{{ 'If you had such power, you wouldn't need a wielder.' A second of silence passed without a single word while Gilda and Pinkie gave Sunset a weird glance. "Is something wrong with your wrist?" Pinkie asked. "It's nothing." Sunset smiled. "Just a bug. I swatted it, and now it's gone." }}}Go fuck yourself{{{ 'Noted.' "Listen Pinkie. Things are going to be hairy when we get on campus. I'm going to have to ask the two of you to distance yourself away from us." Sunset muttered. "What, why?" "You saw how things were before the break." Sunset sighed. "And seeing how Octavia reacted, one of the more calmer individuals at Canterlot High ...I shudder to imagine how the school is like." "That is true." Gilda nodded. "But we're not leaving you behind. Remember, we're partners now." "I know, but you guys won't help much if you're also being harassed by the students." Sunset put a hand on Gilda's shoulder. "You'll still be helping, but I need eyes on the sidelines." "I'm not leaving you behind ...." "It's not a life and death situation." Sunset snorted. "But we need to play it smart and get rid of any unnecessary risks. If things get violent, then you can step in." She turned towards Pinkie. "The both of you. Right now, any attention is bad for us." "I don't like it." Gilda muttered. "I can deal with the bullying and sabotage. I have dealt with it before." Sunset pat Gilda on the back. "I won't get hurt. I promise you." Despite her words, Sunst could still see Gilda hesitating. She knew that when they arrived back at Canterlot High, there would be many hostilities thrown at her. She was certain that she could wear the storm, but whether or not Gilda and Pinkie could was a whole other issue. She was certain Gilda would resort to violence if other students began to harass her, and she wasn't sure what Pinkie would do. "We need to be smart about this you two." Sunset murmured. "If Anon-A-Miss suspects we are working together, she will retaliate." Gilda let out a frustrated sigh. "Okay. We'll hang back, but the moment things get hairy, I'm stepping in." "I don't doubt it." Sunset nodded as the bus finally arrived before them, pulling into the stop. "Okay, guys, stay a couple of feet behind me. There might be other students on that bus." Sunset muttered before getting up from the bench. "On it." Gilda affirmed as Sunset walked up the bus. She walked up the steps and saw that the bus had a few Canterlot High School students. They all shot her downright murderous looks so she averted her eyes and looked out the window instead. In the corner of her eyes, she could see Gilda and Pinkie getting on the bus with Octavia and Vinyl right behind them. Sunset ducked her head down in the corner as she watched her two friends in the corner of her eye. The two sat down a couple of seats down. She hoped that nobody on the bus would raise an eyebrow at them sitting next to each other at the bus stop; however, this was the best she could think of at the moment. 'Ok Witchblade. At school, I'm going to be harassed and pushed around. I'm going to have to ask you to not kill or seriously hurt anyone.' }}}I have looked through your memories. It is quite disturbing what lengths these students will do to harass you.{{{ 'They are just dumb High schoolers. They have scrap for brains and are ruled more by hormones than basic logic. Don't activate if I'm tripped or pushed over.' }}}I don't like my wielders being attacked without retaliation. Too many of my wielders had taken the same stance and suffered awful fates because of it.{{{ 'I don't want to cause any unnecessary bloodshed.' }}}Sometimes bloodshed is necessary.{{{ ' Maybe. But that's not me.' }}}It is like I have said before. Many wielders failed to heed my advice, and it cost them their lives.{{{ ' Maybe they didn't appreciate you calling their loved ones concubines.' Sunset felt the bracelet hum, and she felt emotion emanating from the artifact. It was a strange feeling. It was like experiencing the feeling herself but at a distance. She knew it came from the Witchblade, and from what she could infer, it was grumbling. }}}You are lucky I am not petty.{{{ ' And I am eternally grateful.' The bus ride didn't take long until Sunset saw her school come into view. She looked out the window and saw that many students were hanging outside. The bell hadn't rung yet, and when Sunset looked down at her watch, she saw there was a good twenty minutes before school started. "Piss." Sunset cursed. "Guess I'll have to weather the harassment." She muttered before heading out of the bus. The moment she stepped out of the bus, it was as if an ill wind had passed by her and spread throughout the entire courtyard in front of the school. Sunset looked around and saw many students sitting at the statue or at the steps leading up into the school. The students who caught her eye were those who were recently included in Anon-A-Miss. It was a strange group, with the most unlikely people she would see together, along with two she was certain weren't from the campus. Maud Pie, Berry Punch, and two others wearing a magenta uniform and skirt. The two strangers had a badge on their chest with a light teal button-up shirt underneath it. One had orchid skin, and the other was a shade of light magenta. The two seemed to be in deep conversation with Maud and Berry, with a couple of students giving them ugly glares as well. "So you suspect it might be Big Mac and Gladmane, but you don't know. Fantastic." Sunset overheard the orchid-skin girl snap. "Go eat dirt Suri." Berry Punch snapped. "And do your damn job." "You two should leave no. We're attracting too much attention." Maud said. "Fleur, I hope you'll behave yourself from now on." "Why do you always have to ruin my fun?" The Light magenta girl asked, which Sunset assumed was Fleur. "Because you always get slime everywhere." The one Sunset assumed was Suri snapped. "Let's get back to Crystal Prep and give Indigo the sit rep." "Indigo won't be happy about this, you know." Fleur snapped. "Sleep with her, and I'm sure she'll change her mind." Berry Punch scoffed. "Hardy har." Fleur snarled as she and Suri stormed off towards a sleek, dark magenta and purple car. The two slid into the car before it drove away down the street. }}}Suspicous.{{{ 'Agreed. But it's probably just some high school drama. They are probably trying to get dirt on other students. Not really a priority Sunset agreed. Before she could focus on where Maud and Berry were heading, a loud pop got her attention. She looked over her shoulder to see Applejack with her brother, Big Mac. They looked to be unloading what looked to be crates of apple sauce from the back of their truck. "I'm going to kill the Flim Flam brothers one day." Sunset heard Big Mac growl. "Don't let them get under your skin Big Mac." Applejack sighed. "I can't help it. Whenever I see them, I just want to rip off their head and bleed them dry." "Big Mac ...you need to stop listening to Granny Smith's story about her old western days." Applejack sighed. As Sunset listened on their conversation, she realized all of the sudden how far away Applejack was from her, and the same for Maud Pie and her small group. They were well beyond her usual range of hearing, but somehow, she was able to pick up on their conversation quite easily. 'Why do I have super hearing all of a sudden?' }}}I grant physical boons as well to my user. Your perceptions are sharpened and have better reaction speed.{{{ 'That would have been good to know.' Sunset snorted. }}}You should also thank Sara. Her passive traits are the enhancement of her detective abilities. These aren't the full extent of course, but while it is off, it grants these small boons.{{{ 'Even now, that woman is still helping me.' Sunset raised an eyebrow. 'Are there other users like her? You mentioned you have had many.' }}}Yes. But they have not reached out to you yet. You don't need their assistance yet, and they do not wish to overwhelm you.{{{ 'Being a wielder does come with a lot of perks, doesn't it' }}}For the trials ahead, such abilities are required. To fight gods, one must be able to stand up agaist them.{{{ 'You are just the beacon of positivity, aren't you?' }}}Of course. I ooze out positivity. I am practically made out of it{{{ 'I'm going to have to show you a dictionary one day and show you what sarcasm means.' Sunset rolled her eyes as she reached the steps leading up to the school. As she walked up the stairs and into the hallways of the school, ugly glares were shot her way. The situation was tense, and it made her a bit nervous as she kept on guard from any who would try to harass her. Scowls surrounded her, and she made sure to stay clear of anyone walking towards her. However, with the number of students there was in the school, a couple bumped into her roughly, causing her to stumble. ' Teenagers.' }}}You're the same age as them{{{ 'But I trained under a princess. I am more mature than them.' Sunset argued. ' Besides, I am technically an adult' }}}The human brain doesn't develop until twenty-five.{{{ 'Whate-wait. How do you know that?' }}}I am a being of great power! We know such tidbits of information.{{{ Unfortunately, Sunset's conversation with the Witchblade about the age of maturity and whether or not she had the right to look down on the students of the school came to an abrupt stop when she nearly ran into a girl standing in her way. She looked up and saw it was none other than Bon Bon. The girl had a scowl on her face and was giving Sunset a murderous glare, which conveyed how much Bon Bon wished to shove Sunset into a volcano. Her expression didn't match well with the cobalt jacket she wore, which had a smiling candy wrapper in the middle. "Well, aren't you in a cheery mood." "Take the post down." Bon Bon scowled. "What post?" "Don't play dumb with me! You know what I am talking about!" 'I suddenly wish I had my phone on me.' }}}I have it. If you wished to retrieve it, of course.{{{ 'Wait, what?' }}}I do. Unfortunately, you have to be in the Witchblade form in order to retrieve it.{{{ 'We need to work on our communication.' Sunset rolled her eyes. "If I told you I wasn't Anon-A-Miss, would you believe me?" Sunset asked. "Don't play dumb with me!" Bon Bon snapped. "We all know it's you. Your lies aren't fooling anyone. I'm not sure how you managed to fool Celestia and the police, but no student in CHS is falling for it anymore!" "Lies? Bon Bon, I was caught in a warehouse explosion, how could I fake that? Half the block saw it occur." "I don't believe that you were there. You just made it up to make everyone in the city feel sorry for poor old Shimmer!" Bon Bon shouted. "Nobody believes you were knocked out before being carried home by some shadowy, mysterious benefactor!" Sunset let out an audible sigh as she pressed the crown of her nose. She remembered that story that was portrayed on the news. What happened that day was largely shadowed by her as well, but she would rather not announce the truth to the entire world, and that was if they believed her. She didn't blame Shining Armor for making that cover story since he was working off very little information, but she just wished he had put a bit more effort into creating a more plausible story. "Ok fine, you don't believe me. Why are you upset again?" Sunset asked, hoping the topic would move away from what happened at the warehouse. She didn't want any more attention on what happened that day than was needed. "The post!" "What post?! There are hundreds!" Bon Bon scowled as her gaze focused on the ground. There was a second of silence before the girl finally answered. "The one about Octavia, the one that called her a fat cow." That cleared things up. Sunset still remembered the post right before the warehouse explosion. It was what led her down this rabbit hole in the first place. She knew that it was Throax who took the picture, even though he didn't write the post himself. Still, Sunset made a mental note to kick the guy in the shin the next time she saw him. "Ah. That one." "Yeah." "Listen, Bon Bon, I'm sorry that Octavia was hurt. But you can't take your anger out on me ..." Sunset began but was interrupted as Bon Bon grabbed her by the coat. "Do you know what her parents are doing to her!?" Bon Bon angrily roared. "What?" "They're starving her! To keep her figure after they saw that post!" Bon Bon shouted. "So you will take it down, or else I will make you take it down!" "Bon Bon. I am being very patient ...." Sunset managed out before Bon Bon shoved her into the locker. "Take it down now ...." "Or else what?" Sunset asked, her patience beginning to wear thin. "I'll smear you across these lockers." "I dare you to try." Sunset growled. She quickly struck Bon Bon across the face, causing the girl to stumble back. Bon Bon quickly recovered and raised her fist up, aimed directly at Sunset before her arm was grabbed. "Bon Bon enough!" Lyra cried out. "It's not worth it, let it go!" "I've dealt with worse than her. I can take her on!" "This isn't what Octavia wanted! Let it go Bon Bon!" Lyra pleaded. "Don't make it worse." Bon Bon closed her eyes and grit her teeth before finally relenting. She wiped her cheek while Lyra stepped in front of the girl. "Just go. You've done enough damage already." Lyra scowled before she led Bon Bon away. Sunset watched the two walk off as she tried to shake the heavy feeling off her chest. Before Anon-A-Miss, she was getting closer to them and was making progress in her amends with them for all the bullying she had done before Twilight. However, it was all brought down after the posts began, and now she was back to square one. She turned away and walked back down the hallway with a heavy heart while ignoring the malicious and angry glares thrown her way. The day just started, and she was already reminded of the broken friendships caused thanks to Anon-A-Miss. She could only hope that all of this would be over soon. Witchblade Lightning Dust followed Berry Punch into one of the empty classrooms. Berry closed the blinds and locked the door before walking all the way to the very back, next to a pair of closets where she ended up standing. "What's the issue?" Lightning asked as she approached the girl. "Got another job for you." "Payment first." Berry Punch scowled as she reached into her backpack and tossed Lightning a stack of bills. The girl let out a whistle as she began counting through it. "It's all there." Berry Punch took out a bottle of whisky and took a swig from it. "I'm stressed to all hell, and here you are making it worse. Do you know how thin the ice I am on right now?" "Not really, no." "It's really friggin thin." Berry barked. "And that's my problem, How?" "Because you're going to help me resolve it." Berry snapped. "So unless you want to continue being paid, I suggest you do what you're told." Lightning bristled at that. She tried to talk back, but Berry glared at her, and chills went up the girl's spine. Berry wasn't one to seem threatening, but when she got angry, she could stare down many people. Those who didn't take the hint and refused to back off ....it never went well for them. "Fine." Lightning relented. "Had a small incident at a certain store." "The shitty cafe, right? SugarCube Corner?" "I quite like that cafe." Berry snapped. "But the issue is a couple of witnesses." "And who is that?" "Pinkie Pie, Gilda, and Sunset Shimmer." Berry Punch scowled. "Ooh, the big three." Lightning smiled. "You must have made some impression cause those three are now hanging out together." "Pinkie and Gilda still think Sunset is Anon-A-Miss." "No, they don't. Saw them this morning, they are working together." Lightning Dust pocketed the money into her backpack. "They walked some distance from each other, but it's an amateur move. Their demeanor and behavior ...tells me that they have some sort of arrangement." "Then that's worse." Berry snapped. "Those three are witnesses to my slip-up at the cafe, and that Sunset girl is onto us." "So what do you want me to do?" Lightning raised an eyebrow. "Want me to kill them?" "I have a buffet happening tonight." Berry scowled. "I will be using my Wendigo humanoid form there, and they will recognize it. I need them to not be there, how you accomplish that is up to you." "Buffet? You mean the charity event to bring awareness to cyberbullying?" "Bah, just in name. The real goal is to get as many people in one place as possible. The three people I don't need there ..." "Is Sunset, Pinkie, and Gilda." Lightning nodded. "Got it." "And that Bon Bon girl." "Bon Bon?" "Yes. She's onto me as well. She knows my true form, the same one I am going to use tonight. Get rid of them before the event, and I pay you extra. Go it?" Berry Punch sneered. "Can do boss." Lightning Dust took out a small notebook. "Want fries with that?" "And a large soda." Berry Punch took another swig from her bottle. "Now go." Lightning let out a snort but obeyed, walking out of the classroom with a small snicker. Berry simply watched the girl storm off as she nursed the bottle of whisky in her hands. {Sloth and the other sins won't be happy about this.} 'After tonight, we won't need to care what the hell they think.' {Do you trust the shadowbolts to not slip up?} 'They were recommended by Chrysalis.' Berry Punch smirked. 'If they do mess up, I'll teach them a lesson.' {Is everything set up? Is the Melody family ready?} 'Yes. Octavia shouldn't be caught by the spell, so her mother shouldn't make a fuss.' Berry Punch swirled the alcohol bottle in her hands. 'Are you sure we need to take your form to eat? {I feed on gluttony. I require my true form to cause those around us to indulge in it, and for us to feed most efficiently, they must be acting gluttonous.} Berry Punch sighed as she opened up her mouth and swallowed the bottle of whisky, glass and all. It went down her throat, and she could feel it break and snap as it went down her throat. It didn't feel the same as bone snapping and the texture of meat, but it satiated her hunger for the time being. Soon, though, she wouldn't have to settle for half-measures and could go for the real thing, and that thought excited her. Now, all she needed to do ....was wait. Witchblade Sunset managed to get through her morning classes without much more incident. There were the usual objects thrown at her, but she shrugged it off, already used to it at this point. However, it didn't help much with catching up on all the material she had missed during the week. Even though she managed to get all the homework and assignments done, thanks to Celestia providing it to her, it didn't provide her with much learning. So, she was trying to play catch up while also trying to understand the new material. When she finally arrived at lunch, she sat down at the table in a huff and looked around the cafeteria. She saw Pinkie Pie sitting with the other rainbooms, and Gilda looked to be speaking to the diamond dogs. Knowing Gilda, she was trying to intimidate them to get information, and it seemed to be working as one of the diamond dogs recoiled from the girl. Sunset kept her head down while eating her lunch but also tried to see the going ons around her. A couple tables down, the Canterlot Movie Club and a certain Diamond Tiara sat down with their lunches. The four had tired expressions on their faces, and Diamond Tiara had bags under her eyes. There was a bit of silence as the four of them began to pick at their foods. "No sleep?" Diamond Tiara muttered. "Yeah. It's been happening for the past week after the meeting with your mother." Applebloom mumbled. "Whatever she gave us is screwing with my brain." "Yeah. Rarity isn't happy about that, by the way." Sweetie Belle nodded. "Oh yeah. My mom was on the phone with them the other day." Diamond Tiara sighed. "I can't remember anything." "Did your mother give us drugs or something?" Scootaloo scoffed. "Knowing my mother ...I wouldn't be surprised," Tiara mumbled. "I hate her so much. Why does your father tolerate her?" Applebloom grumbled. "Beats me." "Well, my parents aren't going to let me over to your house anytime soon." Sweetie Belle snorted. "But at least our absences were excused." "Anything can be excused when you're one of the biggest donors to the school." Tiara scoffed. "She buys her way through everything. Tosses money at everything." "Yeah." Scootaloo let out a loud exhale as she looked over at Sunset, who was eating alone in the cafeteria. "She's still here." "Yep. She's one stubborn son of a bitch." Applebloom snorted. "Gotta give her that." "We got what we wanted, why does Spoiled Rich want us to continue?" Sweetie Belle asked. "I wish I knew." Tiara shook her head. "But you know how she is. She won't let us stop until she's satisfied." "What does she even have to gain from all of this?" Applebloom scowled. "She has all the money in the world, can't she just be happy?" "It's not just about the money Applebloom." Tiara shook her head. "I wish it was, but it's not." "Whatever it is, I hope she gets it soon. I'm tired of Sunset getting pushed around. We got what we wanted, and we've been spending more time with our sisters." Sweetie Belle mumbled. "Why can't we just stop?" Applebloom scoffed. "Ain't nothing she can do about it." "We both know that isn't true." Tiara shook her head. "She's got connections and contacts and knows we're the ones who started it. If we stop ...." "We become the next victims." Scootaloo sighed as she leaned back from her food. "I don't like it either, but we can't go back. We don't have a choice." "We always have a choice." Sweetie Belle protested. "Yeah. The choice of becoming the next martyrs or not." Scootaloo shook her head. "It's either us versus Sunset, and I choose us." "I just ....feel bad for her." Sweetie Belle muttered. "Oh please, why? She was a bully for years." Scootallo snorted. Diamond Tiara looked away as Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo began to argue. She looked at Sunset Shimmer, seeing how the girl was eating all by herself, looking down miserably at her food. It caused her heart to weigh down heavily, the sin of her betrayal hanging from her neck. Once upon a time, Sunset helped her become a better person, to get into the good graces of the Canterlot movie club, and this was how she repaid her. Tiara whispered under her breath, out of ear's reach from the other club members. "I feel bad for her too." Tiara whispered. "I just hope she can forgive me." Around this time, Pinkie Pie sat down to join the rest of the rainbooms at the lunch table. She noticed the Canterlot Movie Club arguing again, but about what, she couldn't hear. Her attention was more focused on how lonely Sunset looked, sitting and eating by herself at the lunch table. "Are you alright, darling?" Rarity asked, breaking Pinkie out of her trance. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" Pinkie replied as cheerfully as she could. "You had a distant look on your face." Rarity looked at Pinkie with concern. "If you need support, we're all here for you." "We all are." Rainbow smiled. "If the woman who attacked you returns, give me a call, and I'll give her a piece of my mind. And my foot." The sports girl grinned. "Seriously though, what happened? The news was all very vague about it." Rarity pointed out. "Well, you see ..." Pinkie sighed before she began to tell the rainbooms everything. She told them about how the attack started and how the cops were thrown aside like they were made of nothing, how there were these creatures called changelings, insectoid beings with immense strength. The woman who attacked her wore a mask that covered her facial features. Pinkie explained how the woman caught bullets out of the air like it was nothing and how she swatted the rest of her family as if they were nothing but insects. She then finished her tale about how she was thrown outside her home before a mysterious woman, clad in scanty metallic armor, arrived to help, who swept her away and flew her to safety. The last bits of her tale recounted the fight between the two mysterious women, their clash ringing throughout the air. "Caught bullets out of the air? Especially from a shotgun?" Applejack muttered in disbelief. "Are you sure you saw it correctly? Pinkie Pie could only nod in affirmation. "She seemed to be only after me, though. She spared the rest of my family." "Could she be a monster? Like the sirens?" Rarity pointed out. Pinkie Pie shook her head. "If she was, she would have transformed when the other mysterious woman appeared." "Why didn't the news say anything about this? They said it was some criminal organization!" Rainbow exclaimed. "What would the public think if the cops said that there were people catching bullets in midair and insectoid soldiers serving said person?" Rarity asked. "They most likely didn't want to be called lunatics." "And that isn't mentioning what happened at the cafe," Pinkie muttered. "The masked woman was there as well?" Rainbow asked. Pinkie shook her head. "Demon is all I can say. There was this woman, she is a regular patron at the cafe ..." She began. "Her skin is orange, and there is a mouth on her stomach." "So we got demons and women who can catch bullets out of the air." Applejack muttered. "Fantastic. As if we weren't already deep in shit already." "Maybe Sunset knows ...." Fluttershy began. "No! I'm not talking to that backstabber." Rainbow snapped. "But she might hold the answers ...." "She betrayed our trust, and she still refuses to own up to it. I won't let my friends be harmed by her." Rainbow growled. "We'll solve this without her." "How about we ask Twilight? That girl always had the answers to these magic-related stuff!" Rarity offered. "Sunset has the book." Applejack muttered. "So no go unless you want to go begging Sunset for help." "Then we can take it from her! She's got to let go of it at some time!" Rainbow snapped. "Ah, yes. I can imagine the conversation now. Hey, Twilight, how has your day been? By the way, murderous demons and super assassins that can catch bullets out of the air is wandering the city and carving it up like a cake. Why haven't we asked Sunset? Because she is a backstabbing bitch, and we don't want to ask her for help." Rarity scoffed. "I'm sure that conversation will go well for us." "Well, we have to do something!" Rainbow snapped. "We aren't seriously considering stealing the book from her, are we?" Fluttershy whimpered. "Unfortunately, we might have to." Applejack shook her head. "If it's a problem even a gun can't solve ... then we are plumb out of options. We'll have to take the book." Pinkie sat there dumbfounded. "Do you hear what you are saying?! You are treating her like some criminal or monster!" She exclaimed. "Pinkie, she terrorized the school for years! And now she is causing all this chaos at school! We have to do something!" Rarity gasped. "She saved my life!" Pinkie slammed her hand down on the table. "And she saved Gilda's life! Not only that, she is looking for Anon-A-Miss this entire time! All this time, all she has been doing is help others, and she nearly died!" "Gilda was just being hysterical ..." Rarity began but was interrupted as Pinkie stood up angrily from her seat. "Gilda is many things, hysterical is not one of them." Pinkie snapped. "I believe her, and from what I saw, I believe Sunset!" The girl picked up her tray and began walking away. "Pinkie! Where are you going?!" Rainbow shouted. "To sit with my friend!" Pinkie snapped back. Sunset was staring at Octavia and her friends at their table, not noticing Pinkie approaching her. She noted that Bon Bon was acting a bit suspicious. The girl's manner and movements weren't that of a regular high schooler when she was speaking to the others. It seemed too cold and rigid, reflecting the actions of a cold-blooded assassin than any high school teenager. "Hey Sunset." Pinkie said cheerfully. Sunset turned towards Pinkie, breaking her line of sight from Bon Bon. "Pinkie, what are you doing here?" Sunset hissed. "Eating with my friend, of course." Pinkie smiled cheerfully. "You're painting a target on your back," Sunset whispered as she looked around the cafeteria, noticing eyes focusing on them. "They'll suspect that you're Anon-A-Miss too!" "They can suspect all they want." Pinkie gave Sunset a small smile. "I'm sitting with my friends. Friends do everything together and ..." Pinkie grabbed Sunset's hand. "They make each other smile." Sunset let out a small sigh. "Once you made up your mind, there's nothing I can say to convince you otherwise. You do know what you are getting yourself into, though, right?" She muttered. Pinkie nodded yet again. "I do. But who cares what those meanies think." She scoffed. "Besides, sooner or later, Anon-A-Miss would have found out about us sooner or later." Sunset let out a weak laugh at the girl's tenacity. She could understand why the element of laughter chose her as the bearer. The girl fit the element perfectly to the very core. }}}First that Gilda girl, and now her. Do you have a goal you're working towards?{{{ 'Silence.' Before she could get into yet another argument with a sentient object, Gilda suddenly appeared, sitting down next to Pinkie. The girl had that glint in her eyes, the one that said whatever was on their mind was urgent; however, Sunset had to gripe first. "What did I say about keeping a low profile?" Sunset muttered. "Screw that. I got some good information." Gilda snapped. "Besides, Anon-A-Miss would have found out about our little pow-wow here eventually." "Of course." Sunset sighed. "Anyways. I have some good information that Bon Bon is suspect." "Wh-Why would she betray her own friends?" Sunset snorted. "Shut up and listen. Bon Bon isn't her real name." "What?" Pinkie gasped. "Quiet down!" Gilda snapped. "Don't want this to get out." Pinkie nodded and made a zipping motion over her lips. "Her real name is Sweetie Drops." Gilda whispered. "And guess who she used to work for." "The Spanish inquisition!" Pinkie raised her hand excitedly. "I'll admit. I didn't expect that." Gilda chortled. "But no. For ChangeData, as one of their child soldiers." The girl explained. Pinkie let out a gasp. "What a twist." "That seems implausible." Sunset shook her head. "I've known Bon Bon for a while, and she doesn't seem the type." "Does it? How she's somehow able to pull off nearly impossible favors for her friends? How was she able to fight you off during the fall formal?" Gilda raised an eyebrow. "Seems plausible to me." "Where did you even get this information from?" Sunset whispered. "The diamond dogs," Gilda explained. "Apparently, a couple of years ago, they were shaking down Lyra for cash cause they're a bunch of pricks." The girl snorted. "That's when Bon Bon appears out of nowhere and takes the three down. During the tussle, an emblem fell out of Bon Bon's backpack." "What kind of emblem?" Sunset asked. "A green emblem that is in the shape of an insectoid with the initials C.Q. on it." Gilda whispered. Sunset rubbed her chin. "Q and C." She muttered. "Queen Chrysalis? No ....there was only a Chrysalis Queen" "You know her?" "Met her at the party. She was charming. I knew a Queen Chrysalis back in my world, but she was an immortal bug woman, not some CEO." "Didn't the ChangeData logo from the cafe fight tip you off?" Gilda rolled her eyes. "To be fair ...I wasn't in a good mindset back then." "You mean Adagio had you wrapped around her finger." "Hey, let's switch topics okay thanks." Sunset snapped hurriedly. "Okay, Chrysalis is a bastard. We have established that, and Bon Bon works for said prick, allegedly." "And she attacked you the week after you blew up the party." Gilda whispered. "Coincidence?" "Wait, you blew up a mansion without me?!" Pinkie gasped. "I didn't, Adagio did." Sunset corrected. "What were the sirens doing there?" "It's her mirror," Sunset explained. "Seems like even they have their mirror counterparts here." She muttered. "Oh boy. I wonder if she has the same hips." Pinkie nudged Gilda. "Pinkie focus." Sunset sighed, burying her head into her arms. "Okay, it's not much. But it's a lead. Wish we had Thorax here to confirm it." "I still have his number." Gilda shrugged. Sunset looked up from her arms. "What?" "Yeah. I can call him." Gilda took out her phone and showed it to Sunset. "Want me to do it now?" "Yes! Please!" Sunset snapped. Gilda nodded. "I'll do it after lunch. What do we do about Bon Bon in the meantime?" Sunset blew a raspberry as she racked her brain. "We can confront her after school, I guess? Just tell Throax to get here as soon as humanly possible." She grumbled. Gilda gave a cheeky smile. "Don't worry Sunset. You can rely on me." Gilda smirked as she reached into Pinkie's tray and yoinked a piece of bread. "Hey!" Pinkie protested. "Food tax." Gilda said with a full mouth. The two then began to argue, which caused Sunset to slam her head into the table. }}}You have strange taste in woman.{{{ Sunset pushed her skull further into the table in response. Witchblade For the rest of the day, Sunset managed to get through relatively unscathed. She managed to sneak her way through the halls and slinked into the back of the school. There, she saw Gilda standing there, a cigarette in her mouth, with a trail of smoke billowing out from it. "How long have you been waiting?" Sunset asked. "Not long." Gilda shrugged. "Thorax will be here soon." "So how are we going to do this?" Sunset asked. "Bon Bon and Lyra have been helping Octavia with her practice recently. They will be in one of the unused classrooms in a couple of minutes." Gilda spit out her cigarette and stamped it into the ground. "They stick around after school for about an hour, so there is a large window of time." "Let's go over the plan again." Sunset said. "How are we going to discuss the situation like calm and reasonable people?" Gilda let out a groan. "Pinkie will go in and raise their mood up. I stand outside in case things go south. You then go in and explain the situation to them. Is that good?" Sunset nodded. "Remember. We are here to get information from here. We don't know if she's Anon-A-Miss or not. If she bolts, then we will know, got it?" Gilda nodded. "Got it." She turned and looked at the backdoors of the school. "When do we go in?" "Pinkie will call us when it's time." Sunset said. Gilda nodded in affirmation and leaned against the school wall. The two then stood in the cold awkwardly as the snow gently fell around them. Gilda let out an awkward cough and snuck glances at Sunset, only to look away when Sunset turned toward her. This went on for a couple of seconds before Gilda finally took in a deep breath and steadied herself. "So ...you free tomorr....(ow)?" Gilda began before Sunset's phone began to ring. Sunset took her phone out and saw that it was Pinkie's number. "Okay. And we're live." Sunset exhaled. "Let's do this." Gilda let out an exasperated sigh, but followed Sunset as they walked back into the school. The hallways were empty and silent, giving an eerie feeling. As they passed some of the doors, they saw that some of the classrooms were filled, mostly with club meetings and other extracurriculars that occurred on campus. As they walked down, it got more and more quiet, before becoming completely empty. Eventually, they reached the classroom, and Sunset could hear a conversation on the other side of the doorway. She gripped her wrist and took in a sharp inhale. There were two doors, Gilda was going to cover the second one while she went through the other. That way, they should have all their bases covered. 'You ready?' }}}Even if this girl tried to attack you, I doubt she'll do much damage.{{{ 'Good, because we're about to be live.' "Good luck." Gilda nodded as she leaned next to the doorway. Sunset nodded and quickly opened the classroom door and walked through as quickly as she could, and right into an argument; however, she was so focused on the plan she completely ignored that element. "Bon Bon! We need to talk!" Sunset announced as she walked up to the girl who had her hand up to Pinkie's chest. "You brought Sunset here!" Bon Bon nearly screeched. "Sunset isn't Anon-A-Miss!" Pinkie shouted back. "So get your head out of the party cannon and empty your ears of confetti!" Sunset pursed her lips as she saw the situation immediately escalating and breaking apart. However, she steeled her nerves and put her hands out. "Listen ...this is about ChangeData!" That caused Bon Bon to freeze. Slowly, she began to back away and began pushing Octavia, Lyra, and Vinyl behind her. "Go now." Bon Bon's voice shook. "Bon Bon, what is going on?!" Octavia asked. "Just do it!" Bon Bon pushed Octavia towards the other doorway. "Sweetie Drops, I am not here to hurt you!" Sunset exclaimed as she began to quicken her pace. That only caused Bon Bon to back up quicker before she opened the other classroom door on the other side of the room. Octavia and Lyra ran out with Vinyl, where Gilda was waiting. Uh oh. There was a loud thud outside the classroom, along with the shrieks of three very scared girls and the shouting of one very intimidating former bully. "I got her Sunset!" Gilda cried out from the other side before it was suddenly interrupted by a loud crash that could be attributed to a certain musician breaking a cello over another person's head. "Piss." Was all Sunset could say. She was so distracted she didn't notice the kick that was flying towards her face until it was five feet in front of her. Sunset quickly ducked down as her instincts fired up to maximum, barely ducking under Bon Bon's attempted assault upon her skull. She looked up and realized another attack was coming up her skull, but this one she could not duck. Pain erupted from her bottom jaw as she was kicked up into the air and into the blackboard. "Bon Bon stop-" Was all Pinkie get out before a loud crash echoed out. Sunset opened up her eyes to see that Bon Bon had thrown Pinkie into a pile of desks, rendering the other unconscious. That got her blood boiling, so she pushed up off the ground and rushed at Bon Bon. The girl seemed to have anticipated her attacks and blocked Sunset's strikes and kicks before delivering a counterpunch right into her gut. Bon Bon then grabbed her arm and twisted Sunset right over her shoulder and into the ground. The wind was knocked out of Sunset, but she quickly recovered as her neurons fired up. She looked up to see Bon Bon lifting a foot right over her face. "Dammit!" Sunset cursed as she threw her arms over her face. Adrenaline pumped through her veins as the Witchblade finally extended outwards, shredding her clothes before covering both her arms and shoulders with metal. Bon Bon's foot was stopped in its tracks as it slammed down on the metal. "What?" Bon Bon muttered. Sunset took this opportunity and grabbed the girl's leg. She pulled it out, causing Bon Bon to fall towards the ground. Sunset then jumped up and got into a ready stance as Bon Bon spun on her back and jumped up from the ground. Sunset started with a flurry of punches and striking toward the other girl's face and body, only for each one to be blocked. Bon Bon's arms flew across the air as she deflected and blocked each one of Sunset's strikes before gripping her arms and twisting them. Bon threw Sunset into the window, causing it to crack under the immense force. Both the girl's struggled with Sunset trying to escape Bon Bon's grap while the other tried to knock Sunset down. Sunset grit her teeth, realizing that she needed more strength. With a roar, she channeled more of the Witchblade's power and pushed the girl off, surprising them. Sunset felt the Witchblade extend down her back, now covering her entire torso. She couldn't let Bon Bon get the advantage, the girl was too dangerous, right now, Sunset needed to knock her out. Sunset jumped forward, tackling Bon Bon and knocking the girl into the ground. Sunset created metal gauntlets around her fists and began to pummel the other girl. "Go to sleep, go to sleep, go to sleep please." Sunset muttered repeatedly as she slammed her fists into Bon Bon's face. Each punch let out a loud crunch as she swung with all her strength into Bon Bon's face, causing blood to splatter all over the classroom floor. As Sunset tried to throw another flurry of punches, Bon Bon suddenly moved her head to the side, causing Sunset to miss. The girl let out a growl and grabbed Sunset by the shoulders before throwing her skull into Sunset's face. Sunset recoiled as she felt her nose break along with parts of her skull. Bon Bon took that opportunity to throw Sunset off her. With a loud roar, the girl grabbed Sunset and swung her by the arm right toward the window before letting go. Sunset only had a single second to process what was happening until she was already halfway out the window. The force caused the entire pane to collapse, causing glass to shatter everywhere. Sunset looked over at the classroom and saw Bon Bon jump out of the broken window pane. 'We need to take this fight somewhere else. With less collateral damage' }}}Agreed.{{{ Bon Bon let out a roar and charged at Sunset. Sunset responded by summoning a pair of wings before flying forward and slamming her arms into Bon Bon's waist. She flew up into the air and away from the school towards the industrial district, where she hoped she could peacefully pacify the girl. As she lifted Bon Bon off, the girl seemed to be determined to be as much of a nuisance as possible, slamming her elbows and fists into Sunset's skull. Sunset endured it until Bon Bon grabbed her metallic wings and ripped them off, which would've been fine if they weren't a couple hundred feet in the air. Sunset let out a panicked scream as she tried to resummon her wings, only for an extremely irate Bon Bon to kick her in the skull. The two fell down like rocks right through a warehouse ceiling before tumbling through the shelves before landing on the hard concrete floor. There was a second of silence as Sunset let out a groan. She tasted blood in her mouth and pain all over her body. She was quite certain she had broken nearly every bone in her body because it felt as if a sledgehammer had been slammed repeatedly into her. She laid there for a good two minutes as she felt the Witchblade regenerate whatever was broken. }}}Deescalate she said.{{{ 'Shush. Let me suffer in silence.' Sunset began to gingerly get up off the ground, peeling herself out of the Sunset shaped hole in the ground. She gripped her chest, which was still regenerating. She looked around her surroundings and saw that she was indeed in a warehouse. However, it was a warehouse holding ChangeData products, ranging from kitchen appliances to artificial kidneys. "This company is everywhere." Sunset groaned as she felt the Witchblade finally finish covering her entire body. A helmet began to form over her head as she limped through the entire building. "Why is it always a warehouse?" "Does Chrysalis really think I would be unprepared after all these years?" Bon Bon's voice suddenly echoed out. "Bon Bon, I don't work for Chrysalis!" Sunset snapped. "BULLSHIT! First Anon-A-Miss, and now this! I knew it all along, knew that you were her agent the moment you stepped into this school!" Sunset closed her eyes and let out a groan. }}}I am unsure if you will be able to take this girl down alive.{{{ 'I have to try! She is also a victim of this conspiracy! She's also our only lead!' "Bon Bon. Let us be calm and rational individuals." Sunset continued to try. "You can't trick me, Sunset, not again. Prepare to die." Sunset summoned a plume of flame in her hands using it to light her way through the dark warehouse. She looked around frantically as she heard footsteps echo out. She stood in between two columns of shelves while focusing on her senses. She could hear the soft tapping of footsteps around her. Sunset narrowed her eyes and channeled Piezzi's ability that she had used against Adagio. Her vision became sharper, and the darkness seemed to clear before her, making the place more visible. Thanks to this, Sunset turned off the plume of fire in her hand and looked around the darkness. She was able to distinguish objects in the darkness despite it being murky. She steadied her breathing and slowly made her way through the warehouse, constantly looking over her back. The plink of water droplets echoed throughout the empty warehouse as the footsteps tapping around her got quieter and quieter. A bead of sweat trickled down her face as she slowed her breathing and focused all of her energy into her senses. A small wind blew through the entire building, letting out a small whistle. Snow gently trickled down from the hole in the ceiling that they made as Sunset slowly paced her movements to the point it was barely audible even to herself. The air seemed to come to a standstill as Sunset suddenly came to a stop. She waited and listened to any form of movement around her. A small wind gust appeared and suddenly echoed out, aimed in her direction. Hearing this, Sunset quickly turned around to see a figure dashing towards her. As she flung her body downwards, the sound of the air being cut screamed out. Sunset twisted her body and punched upwards while keeping her head low and felt her strike connect against a body. She heard a loud crash as the figure was flung backward into one of the shelves, causing a loud echo to reverberate throughout the entire warehouse. Sunset put her arms up just in time as Bon Bon flew forward with a punch. The girl's ability to rebound was remarkable, and she moved at inhuman speeds. Even though Sunset was holding back, Bon Bon was still able to match her nearly blow for blow. Bon Bon quickly threw a series of rapid strikes, which Sunset managed to quickly deflect to the side. The other girl varied her attacks, throwing strikes at her head, body, and lower torso in rapid fashion, pushing Sunset back as she was forced to quickly reposition her arms to intercept each strike. After exchanging a series of blows, Bon Bon quickly swung her leg in arc right toward Sunset's skull. Sunset managed to catch the girl's leg, only for Bon Bon to push herself up and land a kick right into her head. Sunset recoiled back to see Bon Bon leap into the air. Sunset raised her arms up, shielding herself from the girl's kick down towards her face. She took this opportunity to quickly grab their leg and slamming them into the ground. Bon Bon let out a growl as she pulled herself away and jumped up from the ground. Bon Bon pulled out a pistol out of nowhere and aimed it at Sunset, which was trained right at her head. Sunset kicked the pistol to the side just as it went off. Bon Bon then responded by kicking Sunset's leg out from under her, causing her to fall to the floor. As Sunset tried to get up, she saw Bon Bon pick her pistol up from the ground. Sunset lunged forward and managed to get ahold of Bon Bon's arms just as the girl fired her pistol up into the air. Bon Bon kicked Sunset's legs out from underneath her as she slowly began to push her pistol towards Sunset's face. }}}Sunset! You have no choice! You need to end this fight now!{{{ 'No ....I can still reason with her ...' Sunset let out a roar as she finally pushed the gun to the side. She struck forward with a punch, shooting it upwards with as much power as she could, which knocked the other girl back. Sunset quickly grabbed the pistol off the floor and held it up, and aimed it directly at Bon Bon, only to see the girl take out another pistol. At that moment, though, Sunset hesitated, giving Bon Bon the opportunity to fire, hitting the gun out of Sunset's hand. Sunset held her hands up, hoping the Witchblade could stop bullets as Bon Bon prepared to pull the trigger. Right before, a loud crack echoed throughout the warehouse. The air seemed to freeze as Bon Bon's eyes became glassy before the girl fell to the ground like a sack of 13 potatoes. Behind where she used to stand was a familiar figure, one with purple hair running down her shoulder. She wore an aquamarine trenchcoat now, but now she had no mask. It was none other than Aria Blaze, the feared Nottingham. "Fancy seeing you here," Aria smirked. Sunset sighed. "I had it under control." }}}No you didn't.{{{ ' That bullet shot wouldn't have done any damage.' }}}And how can you be so certain?{{{ "What are you doing here?" Sunset asked, changing the subject. "I was following you. Making sure you were okay." Aria shrugged. "Somehow I doubt that. The feared Nottingham, caring about someone else?" "It's actually just Aria now." Aria sighed. "Can't go around announcing who I am, can I?" "Doesn't change that you are still the Nottingham." "How about we make a compromise, and you just call me Aria Nottingham, deal?" "Fine, whatever." Sunset rolled her eyes before looking down at her body. "You wouldn't happen to have any extra clothes, would you?" "I do, but ..." Aria lifted up a finger, bringing attention to the police sirens that were getting close. "I do believe we have bigger issues." "Piss. Grab Bon Bon, and let's go. I need to question her." Aria simply just shrugged. "Sure thing." The girl said before grabbing Bon Bon off the floor and slinging her over her shoulder. "By the way, why didn't you just hit her pressure point?" "Didn't have the time." "Oh, honey." Aria smiled. "Let me teach you." Sunset sighed and rolled her eyes as she began to run out of the warehouse. Though she didn't say yes, she didn't say no either, and that idea made Aria smile as she followed closely behind the girl. Witchblade Lightning Dust sipped a small cup of coffee with both her feet on the table in front of her. She hummed under her breath as she hummed a tune. The piece that was in her head was called 'The king's feast' which was about the last feast of a king before he was devoured by his starving populus. Before she could finish the tune, she heard the cafe door open, which caused her to smile. As she sat up in her seat, she saw Indigo Zap walk up and take a seat in front of her. "So, you got a job?" Indigo asked. "So to the point. What happened to 'how was your day'?" Indigo smirked. She brushed her dark purple dress and uniform and adjusted her arctic-coloured shirt collar. She leaned forward and asked. "How was your day? Did you have fun crushing bugs under your feet?" The girl asked as sarcastically as possible. Lighting snapped her fingers. "There, see. Now we're pals." She took another sip from her coffee. "Yeah, got us a job. From one of the wendigos." "Huh, thought they didn't trust us." "This one is in deep shit." Lightning smirked as she pulled out the dollar bills from her backpack. She tossed it to Indigo, who seemed impressed by the stack of money in front of her. "Needs four people zeroed. Pinkie, Sunset, Gilda, and Bon Bon. Already took out my share." "And she paid upfront?" "She was so desperate she didn't think twice when I asked for it." Lightning Dust snorted. "Hmmm. Killing Pinkie and Sunset will upset the other wendigos." "So we pin it on Ninkasi." "Does she have a time frame?" "Tonight. At the charity event." "She planning to feast there?" "Beats me." Indigo began to rub her chin. "I heard rumors that there was a mysterious benefactor that was going to make an appearance there." Dust shrugged. "Guess that's our gal." "We'll do the hit at the event." Indigo nodded. "Can you do it alone?" Dust raised an eyebrow. "Of course, but ....why? Didn't you like to get your hands dirty?" She asked. Indigo nodded. "I do. But I have to watch over a certain sex cult while also searching for two potential rogue wendigos." The girl scowled. "Ah, yes. Midas and Khan. Any luck?" "Found the remains of Khan's exploits." Indigo shook her head. "What was left of it, at least." "Midas?" "Found traces of arms dealing, trafficking, and extortion. Definitely him." "Well then." Dust blew a raspberry. "I'll do it myself. Need info, though. Need to know the location, vantage points, and participants." She said. "Sunny Flare will send the details to you right before the event." "Also ...why at the event?" Dust asked. "Just for clarification." "Don't want to upset the other wendigos." Indigo nodded. "We do the hit, and pin it on Ninkasi. Since we are already paid, we don't need to worry about money, just integrity." The girl rubbed her chin. "Lure the targets to the event. Zero them right before Ninkasi begins killing everyone, and then check out." "Easy peasy." Dust nodded. "Don't fuck this, Dust." "I would never." Dust smirked. "Count on me, boss." Indigo nodded. "Of course. Only the best can join the Shadowbolts. Be seeing ya." Indigo said before walking off out of the cafe. Dust smirked as she slowly sipped her coffee. "Buffet." She smirked. "It'll be a feast to remember." She affirmed before finishing up her coffee. Author's Note Hello there Hi. This chapter took a bit longer than I would have liked, but we are finally getting into the nitty gritty. I have a general outline for what I have planned for the story in my head, but many changes were made. I just wanted to detail one of the major changes here. Originally, Dust was actually supposed to confront Sunset, not Bon Bon. But I wanted to fit the theme of Gluttony, and Dust just didn't fit the bill. However, I remembered what I had written about Octavia, and how Anon-A-Miss exposed her for eating a bunch of ice cream so I worked it into the story. Bon Bon having worked for Chrysalis came to me when I remembered she used to be a secret agent who hunted bug bear who went by Sweetie Drops. So I weaseled that into the story. I am most happy about how I included Indigo Zap into the story. I really liked Michael Finnegan in the original witchblade, but I feel like he was shafted in the story. He keeps losing all his fights with the fire stone lmao. The artifacts was extremely disrespectful to him also in my opinion. But now I have included him, and much earlier than I had planned. I hope to utilize these character more in the future. I have special plans for them.
(Case 2-2 Ninkasi): School Day (EDITED)A car going far past the speed limit screeched to a halt into the parking lot behind Canterlot High School. Within it sat a lime-skinned man and a light magenta woman. The woman let out a groan as she pushed the car door open and stretched her legs and arms out of the vehicle. The man shakily got out of the car with wobbly legs as he tried to get more than three steps away from the car without falling over like a pile of sticks. "Why am I always chosen for the crap jobs?" Silverstream grumbled as she got out before kicking the car door closed behind her. "Gilda is my friend," Thorax mumbled as he put his hands on his knees, catching his breath as he did so. "She wouldn't have called unless it was urgent. Apparently, they found someone related to ChangeData." "Everyone works for ChangeData these days." Silverstream groaned. "If we got our panties in a twist for anyone who seemed to breathe like a changeling, we'd lose all our hair by the time we turned twenty." "She wouldn't waste our time unless she was certain." Thorax turned towards Silverstream. "If this person is a ChangeData secret operative ...." "Then they won't talk." Silverstream groaned. "They never talk! They're part of the hivemind. At that point, we are better off just killing them." The girl continued to whinge. "I worked with ChangeData once. They are not without their flaws." Thorax turned towards Silverstream. "I know how to reason with them, and if we're lucky, they are like me." "Yeah ...you never told us how you broke out." Silverstream raised an eyebrow. "How do I know that you're not still connected to Chrysalis?" "Even she isn't as flawless as she makes herself to be. She makes mistakes, many of them. She's just good at hiding them." Thorax turned away and looked up at the ChangeData tower division in Canterlot City. "I just took the opportunity." When he turned towards Silverstream, he saw that she wasn't convinced. He let out a heavy sigh, at this point, used to the suspicion. He looked away, focused back on the school, and pointed at the back entrance. "Okay, come on. We don't want to keep them waiting." Thorax snapped as he began walking towards the school. "Please." Silverstream scoffed as she took out a cigarette, which she flicked into her mouth. In a split second, she lit the end of the cigarette and let out a puff while following behind Thorax. "What could possibly happen in the next ten seconds?" As if to answer her question, a loud eruption erupted out, echoing through the air. Thorax saw the school shake before a figure flew up into the air out away from the school, with a second person in their arms. Though he couldn't see their features, he recognized the metallic armor and the firey wings of the figure. It could be none other than the Witchblade. The witchblade's wings were then ripped off by the person they were carrying, causing the two of them to plummet down toward the ground. There was a loud crash that erupted out, followed by a couple of distant car alarms. "Think she's dead?" Silverstream muttered. "Gilda." Thorax whispered before he began to run towards the school. "Let me give you a boost!" Silverstream offered right before Thorax felt himself lifted up from the ground. He felt the air fly past him as Silverstream sped across the parking lot and through the school doors. The classrooms passed by like a blur before the girl stopped in her tracks, causing Thorax to lurch forward. The man tumbled onto the ground before letting out a groan. He could never get used to Silverstream's super speed, and it always made him sick. As he got up off the ground, he was certainly greeted by a sight. There was Gilda, holding off three other girls. One had a broken cello in her hands, one had her arms wrapped around Gilda's neck, and the other was pinned under her knee. "Man, now I wish I went to High school." Silverstream snorted. "Gilda! What is going on?!" Thorax sighed as he rubbed his eyes. Gilda finally managed to throw the girl who was gripping her neck off her and to the side. The girl under her knee managed to slip away and roll to the side. "Who are you people?!" One of the girls shrieked. "Usually, people say hello as a greeting," Silverstream grumbled. "Now, what happened? It looks like a tornado occurred in there." She pointed at the classroom, which had desks thrown everywhere and a broken window. "Sunset is fighting off Bon Bon!" Gilda said urgently as she held the part of her head that had wood splinters in it, which was also bleeding quite a bit of blood. "Who is Bon Bon?" Thorax asked. "I never heard of such an operative working for ChangeData." "Her real name is Sweetie Drops!" Gilda shouted. That caused Thorax to freeze, as an ice-cold feeling crept up his spine. Silverstream was rendered speechless for the first time since the two met, and she just stared at Gilda. The other three girls had their hands up, but each one had a look of confusion on their face. "What are you talking about? Her name is Bon Bon!" The aquamarine girl snapped. "Sweetie Drops is her real name!" Gilda explained frantically. "She is Anon-A-Miss!" "Liar! You can't cover for your friend!" The aquamarine girl shouted back. "Impossible." Thorax shook his head. "Sweetie Drops died when Chrysalis attacked S.M.I.L.E's home base." "I heard about it as well. She was good, but Chrysalis tricked them all." Silverstream nodded. "It's her! I know it!" "Where did you get this information?" "The Diamond Dogs. I don't know how they know, but they've always provided decent information." Gilda explained. "Thorax, look at the classroom. No normal girl can do this!" Gilda pointed at the classroom. Thorax looked into the classroom and accessed the wreckage. He opened the door, walked in, and saw what she was talking about. There were desks thrown everywhere, and it looked as if a fight had happened there. He looked down and saw a pink girl lying unconscious amongst the rubble, in between five broken desks she looked to have been thrown into. She was bleeding and bruised all over her body. "Who are you people?" One of the girls behind him asked. He looked over his shoulder to see the aquamarine girl staring at him while her arms were still raised up towards Gilda. "I'm friends with Gilda." He answered simply. "If this Bon Bon is truly Sweetie Drops ...." "We need to go before Sweetie Drops transforms the Witchblade into a corpse." Silverstream snapped. "She may be good, but even she can't compete with an artifact, especially one part of the trinity." Thorax reasoned. "We need to find them now before they do something they regret!" "What do we do with these three?" Gilda asked as she gestured towards the three other students in front of her. Before Thorax could answer, he heard a shrill voice call out from the other end of the hallway. He saw a dark blue-skinned woman running over towards them with firey eyes. "What on earth is going on here!" She shrieked. "That's our cue!" Silverstream snapped. Before Thorax could see anything or protest, he felt the girl lift him up before speeding away. The environment blurred past before he found himself back in the parking lot. Silverstream let go of him, causing him to stumble forward, but this time, along with Gilda. "Next time, give me a warning dweeb!" Gilda snapped. "I'm about speed, not comfort." Silverstream shot back as she quickly got into the driver's seat. "Now get in; we need to go before the cops come." Gilda let out a grumble but slid into the backseat. Thorax followed suit and closed the door before leaning into the driver's seat. "I saw her crash near the warehouse district." "She was off by a couple of miles. She looked to have crashed nearby." Silverstream said as she put on her seatbelt. "Ready yourselves because today, traffic safety becomes a suggestion." "It's always a suggestion to you-" Was all Thorax managed to get out before Silverstream lifted up the brakes and backed up out of the parking lot. She then quickly turned the car around in the middle of the street, getting many angry shouts from other drivers before speeding down the road. Thorax felt himself lurch back as the car sped down the road. As he looked out of the car window, he could hear sirens in the distance, and he could only hope that wherever the Witchblade and Sweetie Drops were, that they were both safe. Witchblade Sweetie Drops let out a groan as she slowly blinked. Her head was swirling, and she couldn't make out where she was or what the time was at the moment. As her vision began to clear, she saw a figure sitting in front of her, which was a woman clad in metallic armor, her firey pupils standing out from the black sclera around it. As Sweetie Drops tried to move her arms and legs, she found them strapped down on the limbs of a chair. This caused her to snap awake as she began to thrash around in a desperate attempt to free herself. "Don't try it." The woman in front of her said. "Aria made sure to keep you secured there as tightly as possible." Sweetie Drop's memory began to come back to her as she remembered the fight against Sunset. She remembered being confused at how Sunset had transformed and what magic the girl had. All she remembered was that Sunset Shimmer was a threat that needed to be eliminated as soon as humanly possible. "Sunset. You finally here to finish me off?" Drops snarled. "No. Just wanted to ask some questions." Sunset explained as she sat up from her seat. "Wanted to know what connections you have to Chrysalis." "I'm not telling you anything." Drops snapped back. "I told you she would speak." Another voice called out. Sweetie Drops looked around the room she was trapped in. It was dark, but from her enhanced eyesight, she was able to make out different objects. It looked to be a small hideout, with rigged computers along with makeshift furniture that looked to be crumbling apart. "Want me to roughen her up?" Sweetie Drops felt her chair shake as two hands slammed down on the headrest right next to her shoulder. "I can break her fingers." The voice offered from behind her. "Aria, we aren't torturing her. From what I know, she isn't working for Chrysalis, or she isn't anymore." Sunset explained. "She could be working for the Storm King then." Aria snapped back. "That's also a bad thing. Storm King is nearly as bad as her. The only difference is that Chrysalis creates forbidden artifacts, and that man steals them from her." "Then we'll deal with her if that's true." Sunset leaned forward, staring Sweetie Drops down. "Right now, though, we want to take down Anon-A-Miss and Sweetie Drops, here is our ticket to do that." "Fine." Aria rolled her eyes as she walked around Sweetie Drops. "You're lucky Sunset is too soft for her own good kid." "You're lucky my implants were deactivated." Sweetie Drops countered. "I'm so scared." Aria rolled her eyes. "I outlive you by a good four hundred years, you're basically a baby to me." "Listen, Sweetie Drops, we aren't working for Chrysalis, or are Anon-A-Miss. We are looking for the girl who is Anon-A-Miss, and right now, you're our ticket to finding out who she is." Sunset sighed as she knelt down in front of Sweetie Drops. "Do you want Lyra to suffer?" "You leave Lyra out of this!" Sweetie Drops roared, trying to jump forward, only held down by her restraints. "I don't want Lyra or Octavia to suffer, and neither does Gilda." Sunset nodded. "But I am going to need some information if I am going to help them." "And why do you think I will trust you?" Sweetie Drops sneered. "Because you will put your grudge away." Aria snapped, getting Sunset's and Drops attention. The woman walked up to the two of them and stared down Sweetie Drops. "Because you will clear your mind and do what needs to be done to achieve your goal. In our line of work, emotion is a hindrance and hurts more than it saves." "How would you know?" Drops sneered. "Before I was an assassin, I was a knight and soldier. I fought in wars, girl, and saw my fair share of deaths." Aria nodded. "There are times when you must put old grudges away and fight because you care about those behind you, not because you hate those in front of you." "You don't know anything about me." Drops scoffed. "Maybe not. But I know about death and violence." Aria narrowed her eyes and glared at Drops. "And I have a feeling you are not a stranger to those concepts as well." Sweetie Drops became silent and looked away from them. Sunset let out a sigh and turned towards Aria, who had her hands on her hips. "We aren't getting anywhere with this." Sunset huffed. "We need a new angle." "What we need is to encourage her a bit more." "No torture." Sunset snapped. "Hold on, let me call Gilda." "What is she going to do? Grump Sweetie Drops to death?" "No, and I also want to check if Thorax ever appeared," Sunset explained before she walked off. She headed out the door and into the derelict hall, out of earshot. She didn't want Sweetie Drops overhearing her conversation, in case she did still work for Chrysalis or the Storm King. 'Ok witchblade. Need phone now' }}}It is in the pocket on your hip.{{{ Sunset reached around her hip and found her way into a small pocket she didn't know existed. It was small enough that it was nearly unrecognizable, and only parted ways when her hands went near it. She reached in and procured out her phone and wallet, which she also thought she had lost in the warehouse fire. "Here goes hoping that Gilda found Thorax." Sunset muttered as she dialed Gilda's phone number. It rang a couple of times before the other end finally picked up. Sunset was greeted by frantic shrieking that resembled a harpy trying out theatre before she finally managed out some coherent words from Gilda. "Where are you?! What happened?!" " A friend and I convinced Sweetie Drops to calm down." Sunset answered. "Forcibly against her will. She's ....not an immediate threat to anyone in her immediate vicinity at the moment. So we have that going for me." There was a loud sigh from Gilda's end. "Oh, thank heavens. Listen, Thorax and Silverstream are with me right now. Where is your location?" "An abandoned building a couple of buildings down the block from the storage facility we crashed into. It's in...." "It's in the abandoned manufacturing plants right across the warehouses, right?" "Wh ...yeah. It is." Sunset raised an eyebrow. "How do you know?" "Because Thorax is telling us that you guys are in there and is currently in an argument with Silverstream about his tracking abilities." Gilda sighed through the phone. Her voice became a distant shout from her end of the phone. "Hey, you two! This is the right building, so shut up!" "Fantastic." Sunset groaned. "Okay, they're quiet now." Gilda returned back to the phone. "By the way, how did you find your phone?" "Turns out the Witchblade had it." "Really? For a second there, I thought that it was your ghost that was calling me." Gilda snorted. "Hardy har. Get up here." Sunset rolled her eyes. "Oh, by the way, I have a friend here." "Huh? Who is it?" "Just ...don't freak out when you arrive. Please?" Sunset sighed. "Depends ....who is it?" Gilda asked again. Sunset groaned. "It's Aria ...Nottingham. The masked woman that kidnapped you in the warehouse." "What the FU-" Was all Gilda managed to get out before Sunset hung up before shoving her phone back into Withblade's magical pocket. Sunset walked back through the door to witness the sight of Aria with a battery at her feet and two wires in her hands, which were dangerously close to Sweetie Drops. "Aria, what the hell?" Sunset snapped. "What? Just about to convince her to be more cooperative." Aria snorted. "I just said no torture!" "It's not torture." "Then what is that?!" Sunset pointed accusatorily at the battery in front of Aria's feet. "A little shock never hurt anyone." "Yes, it does! Now put it away!" Sunset snapped. "You're making this unnecessarily difficult." Aria rolled her eyes as she kicked the battery to the side. "Candy hair here doesn't want to speak, even though we have mutual enemies!" "Why do you hate Chrysalis?" Sunset raised an eyebrow. Aria shrugged. "She's a prick. She's also a friend of my sister, so I hate her by default." "That's a lame reason." "I'll think of a better one later." "Whatever." Sunset sighed. "Gilda and Thorax are coming over. Hopefully, they can knock some sense into Sweetie Drops." "Thorax! I knew that you were working for Chrysalis!" Sweetie Drops snapped. "Fantastic, now she's all riled up again," Sunset grumbled. "You invited that wimp here?" Aria snapped. "What is he going to do? Whinge Drops to death?" "What are you going to do? Torture her to death?!" Sunset finally snapped. Aria pursed her lips and bobbed her head. "That was the plan." "This was an awful idea." Sunset sighed. "What was?" "Working with you!" Sunset finally snapped. "Can you think of anything that doesn't involve pain or torture for five seconds?!" "You are too naive still!" Aria snapped. "Do you still believe everything can be resolved without bloodshed or death? Sometimes, you need to do what is necessary!" "I am willing to do what is necessary!" Sunset exclaimed. "But there are lines we do not cross, lines we never cross!" "And what is that? I saw you fighting against those changelings on that night in front of Pinkie's home!" Aria snapped. "You held back against my changeling soldiers, giving them some broken bones and third-degree burns, but still alive!" "I don't kill if I don't have to!" "Then what happens when you do!?" Aria finally roared. Sunset pursed her lips and became silent as Aria's words weighed on her. She averted her eyes and simply muttered, "I will do what I have to." "I hope you do." Aria snapped. "When it comes down to it, I hope you have the guts to do what is necessary." Sunset nodded and turned back towards Sweetie Drops. "I hope that one day, both of us can look back at this and have a good laugh about it over a beer." She sighed. "I doubt it." Sweetie Drops sneered. "I am not your enemy." Sunset closed her eyes. "I made mistakes, I will admit that. My hatred for my former mentor and my hunger to be someone better than her overtook any rational thinking I had, and I took it out on you and your friends." Sweetie Drops simply sneered and turned away, replying to Sunset with only silence. "I know this never really helps, but for what it's worth. I'm sorry." Sunset finally sighed. "Apologies don't do anything." Sweetie Drops scowled. Sunset knew she couldn't do anything at that point and was glad when the door to the room was finally kicked open. Gilda, Thorax, and Silverstream all walked in. The air became tense as Thorax met eye contact with Sweetie Drops and Gilda locked on Aria Nottingham. Silverstream stood at the entrance with her arms crossed, with a disinterested look while observing the hostilities as if it was a television show. "What is she doing here?" Gilda scowled. "I'm surprised you even recognize me despite me wearing my mask." "I would recognize you anywhere, now why are you here?" "If I remember correctly, I helped you beat up Adiago." Aria snorted. "Or is your memory that short?" "All I remember is you trying to kill me over some stupid gauntlet." "Well, that same gauntlet saved your life, ask Sunset here." Aria pointed over at Sunset, who could only sigh. "Wait, that gauntlet was the Witchblade?" Gilda pointed over at Sunset's wrist. "Why is it so small then?" "The gauntlet is one of its forms." Sunset shrugged. "That's all I know. It can transform into a bracelet for convenience." }}}Correct. My true form would turn you into dust.{{{ 'What does your true form even look like?' }}}It is incomprehensible to the mortal mind.{{{ 'I am imagining a woman with metal skin and very little clothing.' }}}May I suggest you obtain a more vibrant imagination?{{{ "Gilda. I understand that you have strong feelings against Aria here ..." "Strong feelings?! That woman tried to kill me and worked with the fucking demons!" Gilda shrieked. "Correction, my sister worked with the demons. I was just her messenger." Aria corrected. "That's not much better." Gilda snarled. "Well, we have no choice!" Sunset snapped. "We are up against Celestia knows how many demons, all of them with very nasty-sounding names. I'm not sure about you, but I think we need all the help we can get." Gilda scowled but finally relented. "Fine. But if Aria starts pulling some underhanded moves, I'm ripping off her head." "If we are done fighting, can we turn our attention to Sweetie Drops over here?" Silverstream finally jumped in. The girl gestured over towards the entrapped girl who was observing the arguing with amusement. "Can't believe it's actually her. Don't know how she is here since I saw the smoldering, dead body." "And who are you?" Sweetie Drops snapped. "Silverstream. The extremely pretty speedster of Cyberforce." Silverstream smirked. "Those washouts?" That comment caused Silverstream's expression to immediately darken. "This washout can take out multiple squadrons of changelings." She sneered. "Silverstream enough." Thorax raised his hand up before kneeling in front of Sweetie Drops. "I can't believe it. You're alive." "I can't believe Chrysalis would send you of all people here." Sweetie Drops snapped. "I no longer work for Chrysalis." Thorax explained. "Many things have changed since then." "Why do you think I will believe you?" Sweetie Drops asked. Thorax let out a small sigh as he grabbed a stool and sat down in front of the girl. "Remember when you needed help to catch the rampaging bugbear in South America?" The man asked. Sweetie Drops scowled. "Don't change the subject." "I'm not." Thorax shrugged. "We worked together. We both had each other's back." Sweetie Drops looked away to the side, away from Thorax. She pursed her lips and stayed silent, allowing Thorax to continue on. "When you were looking away, a changeling snuck up behind you, ready to strike. Remember that?" Thorax asked. "I do." Sweetie Drops mumbled. "I helped save you from that." Thorax nodded. "Killed my own brethren to save your life. You did the same to save mine in the Amazon Forest. Do you remember that as well?" "I do." Sweetie Drops sighed. "That and many others. At some point, I would have even called ourselves friends." "Then why did you betray us?" Drops scowled. "I didn't. Chrysalis did. She gave the order. I wasn't even there." Thorax explained. "You still worked for them." "Not anymore. Not after I saw what Chrysalis was willing to do to secure her goal." Thorax sighed. "I was blinded by loyalty, not realizing the true intentions of my mother. When I realized ....you don't understand how much I regretted not being there for you." "What changed your mind?" Drops mumbled. "She has teamed up with the Wendigos. One of the most deadly demons of hell. No sane person would ever team up with a duke of the seven levels." Thorax let out a small sigh. "You can hate me. I won't blame you. I won't ask for forgiveness. But don't let the world burn because of your grudges." Sweetie Drops finally looked up at Thorax, who had a grim expression on his face. She then turned to Sunset and Gilda, who both had their focus on her. The girl's expression began to soften, but her lips and face were still stern and stiff. Aria let out a loud, impatient groan, before shoving Sunset and Gilda to the side. She pushed Thorax off the stool and took his place in front of Sweetie Drops. Sunset threw her arms up at Aria's sudden actions while the girl scooted up right in front of Drop's face. "You want to hold a grudge, fine? But let me tell you, girl. There are currently seven nasty demons roaming around Canterlot, and we would like to stop them." Aria Nottingham scowled. "I know you hate Thorax, hell you probably hate me as well, but even you can't avoid the truth forever." "And what truth is that Nottingham?" Drops scoffed. "That the longer you hold out the information on us, the higher chance your loved ones will get hurt." Aria scoffed. "Now, I don't know where the wendigos are, but I know their nature. They haven't been eating as much, and that spells bad news for everyone in this entire bloody city." Aria stood up from the bench and opened up her arms before looking over both her shoulders at Sunset and Thorax. "Now you can sit here sulking while the Wendigos turn the entire city into an all-you-can-eat buffet, or you can get over yourself and help us." Aria bent over and glared at Sweetie Drops. "What will it be, girl?" Sweetie Drop's gaze darkened before she finally let out a heavy sigh. "I don't have much of a choice, do I?" She finally relented. "You always have a choice." Aria scoffed. "However, it depends on how much you care about your friend's life." Sweetie Drops scowled, but Sunset could see that the girl's expression was finally softening. Sunset walked up to the girl and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Please Bon Bon. Please help. Take a chance, and help us save others." She begged. "Fine." Sweetie Drops closed her eyes. "I will help you." Aria clapped her hands and turned towards Sunset and Gilda. "That's how you do it. You gotta show force lass." Aria smirked as she gave Sunset a friendly punch in the shoulder. "Get your hands off her." Gilda scowled as she grabbed Aria's arm. "Possessive, aren't we?" "I don't trust you." Gilda snapped. "How do we know you won't turn on us at the last second?" Aria tore her arm out of Gilda's grip. "If you have an issue with me, take it up with Sunset. I've done my job. I'm going to get a drink now." Aria scowled before flipping Gilda off. The girl walked out of the room, leaving them with Sweetie Drops, who was still tied to the chair. "If you try anything, I won't hesitate to kill all of you." Sweetie Drops scowled as Sunset walked around her to cut the girl's binds. "I don't doubt it." Sunset smirked as she let Sweetie Drops free. The girl rubbed her wrists before standing up from her chair. "Can you all answer me one question, though?" Sweetie Drops asked as she stood up. "What is it?" Thorax asked. "Why?" "Why what?" "Why did you fight so hard for your cause, despite knowing it hurt other people?" Sweetie Drops glared at Thorax before turning her ire towards Sunset. "Why? Do you know how much damage you all caused?" "I did it because I believed in Chrysalis vision." Thorax sighed. "The same way you believed in the vision of SMILE." "I was doing it because of a grudge." Sunset answered. "I wanted to prove something." Sweetie Drops turned towards Gilda. "And you?" Gilda scowled. "You wouldn't understand." The girl grumbled before turning away. Sweetie Drops turned towards Thorax and Silverstream. "Can you give me a minute with Sunset and Gilda here?" She asked the two. "As much as you need agent Drops." Thorax nodded as he began to leave the room. "It's just Drops now." Sweetie Drops mumbled as Thorax and Silverstream left the room, leaving Sunset and Gilda alone with her. After the other two left, the girl turned her attention to Sunset and asked one simple question. "Now tell me the truth. Why are you doing this? Why are you involved in this entire mess?" "I wanted to save people." Sunset answered. "Bullshit. Tell me the truth. Thorax, I understand, and I can see that he is telling the truth. But why are you actually working to stop the Wendigos?" Sweetie Drops asked. "He is a man trying to run from guilt, but you? I can tell there is something else eating at you." "And how would you know?" Gilda scoffed. "I was trained to read people." Sweetie Drops mumbled. "Not perfectly, but good enough," "It's none of your business." Gilda snapped before turning towards Sunset. "Sunset. Are you sure we can't find any other leads? I would rather not work with the woman who tried to kill me and a girl who is paranoid to high heaven." "I am sure." Sunset nodded. "We need Bon Bon and whatever she knows." Sunset let out a small sigh and looked down at the gems on her right hand. She lifted it up in front of Sweetie Drops and pointed at it. "Do you know what this is?" "The Witchblade, yeah, I heard." Sweetie Drops nodded. "I thought that it was just a myth." "Well, it's not." Sunset said. "In my time of need, it saved my life, and ever since, I have been wielding it to save and help others." Sunset rubbed her wrist before continuing her story. "I was pursuing a lead to find who Anon-A-Miss was when I got over my head and ...." Sunset pursed her lips and glared at Aria, who walked back into the room with a bottle in her hand. "I got myself into a bit of trouble." Sunset turned towards Sweetie Drops. "I know you hate me. You have every right to. But if it means saving others, I am willing to trade my life in exchange. That is my true motive, you can believe it or not, doesn't change it being true." Sweetie Drops closed her eyes and let out a small scoff. "Yeah." She muttered before turning towards the door and walking away. "Where are you going?" Gilda asked. "To get a drink!" Sweetie Drops snapped. "I need to think. Think some things over." She muttered before walking out of the dusty old room and out into the hallway. Gilda began to follow her, but Sunset grabbed the girl by the arm and simply shook her head. Gilda stomped her foot but stood by and watched as Sweetie Drops disappeared into the darkness. "What the hell? Why did we just let her go?" Gilda snapped. "To let her think." Sunset sighed. "If we are going to get her cooperation, we need her willing to do so. Let her mull over her issues over, and then we can get back to her." "Well, let's hope she gets over her issues soon." Aria snorted as she took a swig from her bottle. "However, some people can't get over grudges. So we'll need a plan B." "What would that be?" Gilda scoffed. "Kill everyone in the city and hope one of them is a Wendigo?" "Hardy har. That is a valid strategy though." Aria snorted. "But I am actually talking about how we have a former ChangeData drone. I'm sure he would have some information." "You would be correct, unfortunately, I know very little." Thorax suddenly spoke up as he and Silverstream reentered the room. "I saw Sweetie Drops leaving. I assume you got through to her?" Sunset let out a small scoff. "I wish. However, she is thinking things through and didn't attack us immediately. So that's a start." "Well, let's hope it's something." Silverstream nodded. "I need to report all of this back to my boss. Gotta go update him that a SMILE agent is still alive." "You do that. Also, reassure him that everything is under control." Thorax nodded. "That's for him to decide." Silverstream turned towards Sunset, and tipped her head before dashing away, causing wind to pick up from where she was a split second before. "What a colorful girl." Thorax snorted before turning back towards Sunset. "I will tell you what I know, but you may not like it." "Information is power. We need it if we are going to stop Anon-A-Miss." "And the Wendigos." Aria reminded. "Why them of all demons?" Sunset asked. "The Wendigos that I know of feed on fear, but I haven't really felt the presence of such magic." "These Wendigos are different than the ones you are familiar with then," Thorax muttered. "They are a group of murderers, monsters, and the most powerful dukes of hell, and are the right hands of each prince." "Based on the seven deadly sins. Sunset and Gilda here are very well acquainted with Gluttony." Aria scoffed as she pointed towards the two. "Since the dawn of man, they have existed and will continue to exist long after they are gone. I've fought them before, and trust me....they don't fight fair." "Gluttony? You mean Ninkasi?" Sunset asked. "They were the ones in the warehouse that night. Gilda had a better view of them, but all you need to know is that they are bad news." Gilda let out a small scoff but gave a reluctant nod. "Yeah. I had a much closer look that I would have preferred." She grumbled. "Ninkasi didn't seem that tough." Sunset scoffed. "That's because you caught her off guard. If she was in her true form, you would be dust right now." Aria muttered. "Next time you meet her, she will be ready." "So will I." Sunset remarked. "I hope so, because last time I checked, they had planned to make a move soon." Thorax cleared his throat. "Over the next few weeks, your life will constantly be at risk, and so will your friends." "It's nothing we can't handle." Gilda scoffed as she walked beside Sunset. "We can handle them." "I appreciate the confidence." Thorax nodded. He turned toward Aria and nodded at her before turning back to them. "I need to go check on my brother. If you need me, you know where to find me." Thorax said before walking away, leaving Gilda, Sunset, and Aria alone. "What do we do now?" Gilda asked. "I say we follow Sweetie Drops. Make sure she doesn't bail on us." Aria scowled. "You can do that. But right now, I need to go get a pair of fresh clothes and check on Pinkie Pie. She got knocked out during my fight with Bon Bon." Sunset muttered. "Ah, I kinda forgot about that." Gilda snorted. "I just hope that Bon Bon will come to her senses soon." Sunset couldn't help but agree as she looked down at the Witchblade. She wasn't sure what was going to come in the next few weeks, but she was sure that they were going to need all the help they could get. She only hoped that her past sins wouldn't come back to haunt her, not yet, at least. Witchblade Octavia, Vinyl, and Lyra all sat in the office of Principal Celestia as they listened to the woman argue with her sister. The two had been going at it for a while, especially thanks to the fact that Pinkie was found unconscious in a pile of broken desks that she was slammed into. The fact that Vice-Principal Luna kept on mentioning the super speedster that took Gilda and ran off with another mysterious man wasn't helping either. "We can't get the cops involved!" Luna shrieked. "Especially with the anti-bullying fundraiser that's going to happen tonight in the gym!" "We were just attacked! To hell with the fundraiser! Our students are in danger!" Celestia snapped back. "It wasn't an attack! Just students fighting!" "Pinkie was slammed through a desk, and there was a broken window where someone was supposedly thrown through!" Celestia shrieked. "Not to mention, Sunset and Gilda are missing! Again, and this time with someone else!" "They're probably just being delinquents!" "You said Gilda was taken by a speedster!" "Well, maybe she knew someone." Luna scoffed. "I don't know what you saw, but all I know is that Gilda was taken and that Sunset along with Bon Bon, went missing. Of course, I have every right to be alarmed!" Octavia hung her head low before turning towards Vinyl, who had a stunned expression on her face. The entire day had been strange with an increasingly escalating situation. First, Pinkie Pie had intruded into their practice session for tonight's performance at the gym, and then Sunset suddenly appeared after Pinkie Pie had phoned in a friend. Bon Bon pushed them out of the door in response, which caused them to get tackled by Gilda, who was waiting by the door. As they wrestled with Gilda, a loud crash echoed throughout the building before strangers appeared before them. What happened next was a blur for her since she began to check out after Gilda left with the strangers in a blur. "Listen. The cops will be here any minute. I need to go check on Pinkie and inform her parents of the situation." Celestia sighed. "Her parents are bringing in the confectioneries for the fundraiser tonight, and the CEO of ChangeData just told me that she was coming this morning." "What, why?!" "Because she wants to speak out about Anon-A-Miss and the consequences of cyberbullying since her company makes electronics and software that social media applications use." Celestia explained. "At least that's what she told me. I think it's just a public relations stunt." "Than we definitely can't get the cops involved! Do you want to make a bad impression on the CEO of one of the biggest corporations in the country?!" "To hell with Chrysalis, I care about my students Luna. Now, watch over these three. I need to make another call and check up on Pinkie at the same time!" Celestia said before hurrying out of her office and into the hallway. Luna let out a sigh before turning towards the three students who were currently in front of her. She gestured towards the doorway and gave all three of them a death stare that caused chills to crawl up their spine. "You want to run by me what happened again?" Octavia gulped and nodded sheepishly. "Y-yes. I was practicing with the encouragement of Bon Bon and Lyra ..." "More like we were telling you to eat." Lyra groaned. "I don't care what your mother told you, you need to eat!" "She said it was for my own ...." "To hell with what she said! You're starving, you're basically a skeleton!" The girl exclaimed. "She's abusing you, can't you see?!" "Wait, hold on. What is this about Octavia's mother?" Luna asked. "She's making her hold off on eating for the stupid fundraiser we are having tonight." Lyra scowled. "It's not good for her. But her mother insists on her keeping her form." "She must have a reason." Octavia muttered. "Octavia, I don't care what reason your mother may have. There is no excuse for starving your own child." Luna sighed. "I suggest you take your friend's advice." "I told you." Vinyl finally spoke out, surprising Luna. "What your mother is doing to you isn't right. You need to stand up for yourself." "She must have a reason." Octavia muttered under her breath. "I'll talk with your mother when we meet during the fundraiser." Luna sighed. "You said that you were one of the performers?" Octavia nodded in confirmation, her eyes still glued to the floor. She desperately tried to keep her mind off her empty stomach, which protested every second, begging for food to enter it. She tried to focus her mind on her musical performance that night instead, which helped a small bit, but her stomach was louder than her mind. "Back to the topic. What happened? Where are Sunset and BonBon? The two are currently missing, and I would like to not have to explain to the board how we lost two, no, three students to magical speedsters." Luna snapped. "We told you what happened. Two strangers arrived and ..." "And took Gilda." Luna sighed. "Ok, can you at least tell me what these two strangers looked like?" Lyra began to describe the man and woman who appeared before them in a blur. She described their strange apparel along with their skin color, face, and mannerisms. The man seemed to know who Gilda and Bon Bon was. Looking back, the man also had called Bon Bon a different name that Lyra wasn't familiar with. "He called Bon Bon ....Sweetie Drops." Lyra explained. "Sweetie Drops." Luna muttered. "I'll have to look into this later." "Excuse me, but if it's no issue, can we go?" Octavia muttered. "I have a performance tonight, and I need to get ready for it." The girl requested. "You can go when the cops get here." Luna grumbled, "Unfortunately, with the recent mystery murders, the entire city has been on high alert." The vice-principal explained. "When the cops arrive and assess the situation, they'll let you know if you can go." Octavia nodded and let out a small whimper as she looked out the door. She tapped her foot agitately as she looked down at the clock. She only hoped the day would pass quicker. She just wanted to get the performance over with and leave before pretending all the events were a bad memory. Witchblade Pinkie Pie let out a groan as she sat up in a bed that she definitely knew wasn't hers. As she took a quick glance around, she recognized that she was currently in the infirmary. Nurse Redheart was sitting next to her bed with a laptop, typing out what looked to be a report. Principal Celestia was standing at the end of her bed and was on the phone, and looked to be in a heated debate with the other end. "She is fine Mrs. Cake. No need to worry about her, we have it all under control." Celestia nodded. "Yes. Yes, the event is still happening." Celestia then shook her head. "No ...well, we aren't sure if it was an attack or just regular school violence." Pinkie then saw Celestia let out an exaggerated sigh. "Yes, I am well aware they are both bad." Celestia then rolled her eyes. "I understand, Mrs. Cake. I will take proper precautions. Pinkie won't get hurt ....more." Celestia then nodded her head. "Yes, you can tell her friends that she's okay. Thank you. Bye." Celestia finally hung up the phone and let out a frustrated groan as she put it away. "Where is Sunset?" Pinkie asked, getting Celestia's attention. "Sunset is currently missing." Celestia sighed. "I am working on locating her right now." "I need to go find her now!" Pinkie sat up and flinched as she felt a sharp pain in her back. Nurse Redheart held her down, preventing the girl from jumping out and about. "Calm down. I'll release you after you answer some questions for me." Redheart spoke softly. The pale white woman patted down her white nurse's outfit and adjusted her light pink hair. She looked down at Pinkie before slowly applying pressure onto the girl's arm and back. "Do you feel any pain?" "Nope." Pinkie answered cheerfully. Redheart then reached around Pinkie and applied some pressure on Pinkie's shoulder and back. Pinkie felt a sharp sting as the woman pressed against those areas. "Any pain here?" "Whoops. Just a little." Pinkie smiled. "Nothing too biggie, though." "Hmmm, describe the pain." Redheart requested. "Just a little sting." Pinkie insisted. "It's nothing too bad. Promise." Redheart let out a sigh before turning to Celestia. "She seems fine enough to me. We can't keep her in here forever since this is still a high school." Celestia nodded somberly as Pinkie slowly got out of the infirmary bed and shakily got up on her feet. "See. All better." Pinkie beamed as she finally managed to balance herself out. "You're doing pretty well for someone who was thrown through a desk." Redheart observed. "What can I say? I am extremely durable." Pinkie smiled. "I do still suggest you check into a hospital as soon as possible." Redheart sighed. "Just to get a quick check-up. Make sure you didn't break anything important." "Also, I do suggest you stop by the SugarCube cafe. Mrs. Cake is worried about you, along with your friends." Pinkie let out a gasp. "The fundraiser today! I nearly forgot!" She began to make a mad dash towards the door but quickly turned back towards Celestia. "I'll get checked up as soon as I can." Pinkie beamed. "But right now, I need to go help organize the event." She quickly ran over to the door. "I'll see you tonight, Principal!" Pinkie swung the infirmary door open, only to be greeted by a tall police officer. His bronze skin and light blue hair stood out from his gold-lined blue uniform. The man loomed over the girl before looking up at Celestia, who approached him with caution. "Captain Spearhead. Didn't know you'd be here." Celestia remarked. "Shining Armor cares deeply about this town. When he heard of another attack, he made sure to send someone he could trust." Spearhead nodded as he pushed by Pinkie Pie. "I wish we could have met over a more cheerful situation, but I am afraid the situation has become more grim." "What are you talking about?" Celestia asked. "I need to talk with you privately," Spearhead answered. He towered over Pinkie Pie, forcing him to look down at her due to their height difference. "Go. The adults need to speak." Pinkie Pie nodded nervously before running down the hallway, away from the nurse's office. Spearhead nodded glumly as he closed the door behind him and the other officers. He turned towards Nurse Redheart and Celestia before letting out a sigh. "We're taking over the operations regarding the fundraiser tonight." Spearhead said. "You are to hand over any plans, operations, and the guest list to us." "What? Why?" Celestia asked. "That's classified and none of your concern." "This is still my school." "It is a public school and part of government property. Besides, when there is good evidence something that threatens the safety of the city is in a present area, we can enact emergency measures." "This seems excessive." Redheart remarked. "All of this for a single scuffle between students?" "There are details that you are not aware of." Spearhead explained. "Information that has all of us under alert." Spearhead explained. "This can't be legal!" Celestia snapped. "You can't just come in here and just take over everything." "Mayor Mare has signed off on it." Spearhead shrugged. "The attack that just occurred simply pushed our timetable up." The man explained. "Unfortunately, it is what must be done." "Maria?" Celestia muttered, "Yes. So, if you have a problem, you take it up with her." Spearhead nodded. "Now, will you be cooperative, or will I have to restrain you?" The man threatened. Celestia clenched her teeth but nodded reluctantly. "I'll give you what you need, officer." She scowled. "Good." Spearhead nodded before turning towards the other two officers behind him. "Come on, let's move! We don't have much time left." The man snapped, causing the other two officers to rush out of the room. "Redheart?" Celestia muttered. "Yes?" "Can you inform Luna of the new changes?" "Of course, but why can't you do it?" "I need to make a quick phone call." Celestia stormed out of the infirmary and out into the hallway. She took out her phone call and dialed a familiar number in her contacts as she stormed back to her office. The call was quickly answered by a familiar voice on the other end. "Celly. What a surprise. How can I help you today?" "We need to talk." Celestia snapped. "I'm all ears." Maria Mare snickered from the other side as Celestia stormed down the hall. Witchblade Sunset sat in her apartment and stared at her evidence board. She placed Bon Bon's photo amongst the people possibly involved in the whole Anon-A-Miss mess. She analyzed the board and thought to herself about who Anon-A-Miss could possibly be. The information regarding the Wendigos occupied her mind, however, and she was unable to focus away from them. For the longest time, she assumed them to just be minor demons, not the very lords of hell themselves. 'What do you make of all of this?' Sunset asked the Witchblade silently. }}}Very rarely do the lords of hell themselves make their presence all in one area. They are as unpredictable as they are dangerous.{{{ 'Why didn't you tell me sooner?' }}}I didn't see it as a priority at the time. Adagio Irons was a bigger threat. There is still the matter of Chrysalis as well. I would consider them the bigger threat.{{{ 'Chrysalis seemed fine at the party, and she didn't rush to help Adagio.' }}}Unsurprising. They always had a rivalry with each other. There is nothing more Chrysalis wants more than to bend the entire world to her vision of a Utopia. Adagio never had such lofty ambitions and was content with what she had.{{{ 'I'm guessing other Witchblade users had encountered them before.' }}}Correct. This is why I advise caution. My previous wielders are all gone, while Chrysalis and Adagio Irons are still here.{{{ 'Lovely. Adagio Irons is in prison, though. She shouldn't be a threat.' }}}She can escape anytime she wants. Why she isn't is beyond me. Besides, we still have to deal with her sisters.{{{ 'Aria is on our side.' }}}For now. Also, we don't know the location of her second sister, Sonata. {{{ 'Damn. She nearly matches her mirror counterpart.' Sunset clenched her fist in frustration as she continued to analyze the board. 'Do you know what happened to her?' }}}She also tried to wield me per Adagio's orders. It didn't end well, and a piece of me ended up breaking off and merged into her body. Before I went into hibernation, the last time I saw her, she was on a rampage.{{{ Sunset let out an exasperated sigh before she finally turned away from her evidence board and sat down in front of her laptop. As she did, Gilda walked out of the bathroom while wiping her hands on her pants. "So, what did you find out?" Gilda asked. "Nothing much. I won't know anything until I talk with Bon Bon and Aria tomorrow." Sunset sighed. "Aria promised that she'd be there when I needed her, but honestly, that doesn't inspire much confidence." "Sunset." Gilda sighed as she walked over and leaned against Sunset's desk. "Are you sure we can trust Aria? The woman almost killed us both." Sunset let out a small sigh. "If Aria was a threat, the Witchblade would have put me in guard mode." }}}Aria Nottingham is still a threat. However, she is also an invaluable ally. If she dares to raise her hand against us, I will not hesitate to protect you. {{{ "Well, it seems that the Witchblade agrees with you." Sunset snorted as she lifted her bracelet up in front of her. "But we are short of allies, and we can use all the help we can get." Gilda grumbled but nodded begrudgingly. "Never thought I would be taking the opinion from a piece of jewelry." She mumbled. Sunset's cell phone began to ring, so she picked it up off the desk and saw that it was Pinkie Pie. "Damn. Pinkie Pie. I forgot to call her." Sunset muttered before answering the call. "Sunset! Sunset are you alright?!" Pinkie voice exclaimed from the other end. Sunset held the phone away from her to avoid the girl's high-pitched voice from breaking her eardrums. "Yes, yes I'm okay. Gilda and I had a conversation with Bon Bon, and we came to an agreement." Sunset explained. "She won't fight us." "Will she help us find Anon-A-Miss then?" Pinkie asked. Sunset pursed her lips and let out a small hiss. "She didn't say no." "Darn. By the way, why did you guys barge into the room when I was still arguing with her?" Pinkie suddenly asked. "What do you mean?" "Well, I was calling you guys to let you guys know to hold back from coming into the room." Sunset let out a small groan. "No Pinkie, the phone ringing was the call sign to get into the room." Sunset sighed. "Were you paying attention." "Of course she wasn't" Gilda snorted. "All that sugar went to her head and not her stomach." "I may have, maybe, missed it?" Pinkie said hesitantly. "It's not matter. We got Bon Bon relatively on board. Are you okay?" Sunset asked the girl. "Yep. I am all better." Pinkie answered, which allowed Sunset to breathe a sigh of relief. "Where are you right now?" "I'm heading to SugarCube Corner. I need to help the cakes set up the dessert for the anti-bullying fundraiser." "Oh, yeah that. I had nearly forgotten." Sunset groaned while glaring at Gilda, who was trying her best to restrain a laugh. "Fantastic." "Celestia set it up to help the school, she wasn't targeting you." Pinkie tried to reassure her. "It doesn't change the fact that all the fundraiser will do is paint a larger target on my back." Sunset sighed. "Also, I am pretty sure that it was mostly Luna's idea." "We'll find Anon-A-Miss and bring her to justice. I promise." "Thank you, Pinkie." Sunset nodded. "See you tomorrow." "See ya!" Pinkie cheerfully chirped before Sunset hung up the phone. Sunset put the phone back on the desk and bent over her computer. "Lovely." "What did you expect? Even though Celestia may like you, her sister certainly doesn't." "I am well aware of that Gilda." Sunset sighed. "I had just hoped that maybe I'd be able to forget that I am hated by everyone in the school for at least one hour." "Not being hated? For people like us? We can't afford such luxuries." Gilda snorted. "I know. I know." Sunset nodded regretfully. Gilda looked over at Sunset and saw that the girl was still sulking. She rolled her eyes and gave Sunset a small smack on the top of her head, causing Sunset to recoil and look up at her in response. "Get over yourself. So what if the entire school hates you? Who cares what they think?" "Gilda, I don't want to be ..." "And why are you bothered by it. You were hated for most of your time here and it never bothered you." Gilda interrupted. She grabbed Sunset by the shoulder and turned her so that they were looking at each other face to face. "The Sunset I know was never bothered by it, so why are you now?" "I am trying to be better." Sunset muttered as she tried to pull herself out of Gilda's grasp, but found that the white haired girl's grip was much stronger than she had anticipated. "Be better yeah, but never let them change who you are." Gilda put a finger on Sunset's chest. "The old Sunset is in there. The one who never took bullshit from anyone else, is hard headed, and self reliant." Gilda grabbed pulled Sunset a bit closer which caused a small blush to appear on her face. "Come on girl. Get a hold of yourself." Sunset looked away as Gilda let her go. "I ....I don't want to revert back to my old self." "Even if it means Anon-A-Miss gets away with all her shit?" Gilda snapped. Sunset closed her eyes and rubbed her head. "I just need to think." She sighed. The moment she uttered those words, the phone began to ring again, causing her to let out a frustrated sigh. She answered the phone and lifted it up to her ear. "What?" She hissed coldly. "Meet me at SugarCube Corner. Don't keep me waiting." Bon Bon's voice said from the other side. "Bon Bon? How did you get my number?" Sunset snapped as she held the phone in front of her, shocked. "I have my ways. Come now." Bon Bon voice ordered before the call ended. Sunset slowly lowered her phone and turned towards Gilda whose eyes were narrowed in suspiscon. "Sounds serious." Gilda muttered. }}}I sensed no hostility from the girl when she left. However things could have changed. I suggest caution.{{{ "The Witchblade says we should be cautious." Sunset informed Gilda. "I agree." Gilda nodded. "I hope this girl still doesn't think you are still Anon-A-Miss. Otherwise, we are going to have a proglem." "Do you think I should go in my armor?" Sunset asked. "I don't want to transform and rip up my clothes. I already tore up one today, I don't want to go through another." "You think she might attack us?" Gilda raised an eyebrow. Sunset pursed her lips as she tapped her foot on the floor. "She gave me a run for my money. Also, it's good to stay prepared." Sunset looked down at her bracelet where the Witchblade resided in. "Can I wear clothes over my armor?" }}}I don't suggest it. Any clothes over your transformation will be torn by the many metal protrusions coming out from your body.{{{ "That's a no." Sunset sighed. She got up from her desk and walked over towards her drawer. "I'll just grab a pair of extra clothes just in case." "I can help you carry it." Gilda offered. "Thanks Gilda." Sunset muttered. "But hopefully, it doesn't come to any that." "Just remember to not let her shake you down. Remind her who Sunset Shimmer is." Sunset also hoped it wouldn't come to that as well. She wished to put her past behind her, to move on. But it seemed no matter what she did, it always came back to haunt her. Her only hope was that when all of this was over, she could return back to her friendship with the rainbooms. However, the lingering doubt in her mind stayed firm, the doubt that her friendship would never return back to normal, and that she never really changed after the day Twilight Sparkle arrived. Witchblade Pinkie kicked open the door and put her arms out into the air. "Hey guys! Sorry for making you wait!" She said as she skipped over to her friend's table. All of the Rainbooms were there and looked to have been in a very intense discussion about a topic that Pinkie couldn't overhear. As she sat down next to Fluttershy, she noticed that the air looked to be a bit intense. "What's up, guys? What's wrong?" Pinkie asked as she turned towards her friends. They all looked to have grim expressions on their faces. "Pinkie, we need to talk." Applejack muttered. "Sunset is obviously manipulating you." "What?! This conversation again?" Pinkie exclaimed. "I told you, I choose who I sit with!" "She obviously got you hurt darling." Rarity sighed. "We simply wish the best for you. I spoke with Lyra on the phone, and she said that you got hurt because of her." "Lyra doesn't know anything!" Pinkie snapped. "Pinkie, don't be stubborn." Applejack sighed. "I can't believe we're having this conversation again." Pinkie scoffed. "Can't I choose who I hang out with? Sunset looked sad, and I wanted to make her happy again." "Well, maybe she doesn't deserve happiness!" Rainbow finally exclaimed. "Did you forget what she did before Twilight got here?!" "I didn't! I just let it go!" Pinkie finally snapped, standing up at the table. "I forgave her! Why can't you guys just do the same?!" Pinkie finally snapped. "Because she's hurting us." Rarity begged. "And she's hurting you. Darling, we just want to help you." "Well, you're not." Pinkie pouted. "Pinkie, don't be stubborn." Applejack sighed. "Who is being stubborn here?!" "Pinkie, please." Applejack begged before Pinkie stormed off. She watched as the girl walked up to Mrs. Cake. Applejack let out a sigh and turned back to the rest of her friends. "That went well." Rainbow sighed. "I still think we should consider talking with Sunset." Fluttershy said meekly. "Hell no. Why would we do that?" Rainbow scowled as she took a sip from the cherry soda float in front of her. "Because I'm tired of treating her as an outcast as well," Fluttershy mumbled. "I just think if we just talked with her, we can ..." "There just isn't changing some people like her Fluttershy." Applejack scoffed. "Some people are just evil by their nature." "The question is what do with Pinkie." Rarity interjected, switching the topic. Rainbow noticed Pinkie follow Mrs. Cake into the backroom of the cafe but shrugged it off since the cyberbullying awareness fundraiser was tonight. Pinkie was probably going to deliver the goods to the fundraiser after all. "Do what with Pinkie Pie?" A familiar voice called out. Rainbow looked over her shoulder to see a familiar girl approaching the table. She was wearing her usual attire, which consisted of a leather jacket with a green lighting bolt in the middle of it. For some reason, she still had her backpack on despite it being after school, but it looked to be a different than the one she used at school. "Lighting Dust! Why are you here?" Rainbow scoffed. "Paying respect to my captain, of course." Dust smirked. There was something tucked under her arm which she took out before planting it on the table. The girl pushed it over towards Rainbow Dash with a smirk. Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow with some suspicion as she eyed the long box. "Ah, don't be such a worry tart captain. Open it up." Rainbow shrugged and opened up the box, revealing a pair of new soccer shoes in them. It wasn't just soccer shoes, though; it was one of the brand names. It was called the Magnus cleats and cost up to 1000 dollars per pair. Everyone's eyes bulged out as they stared at the new pair that was sitting right before them. "Holy shit." Rainbow whispered as she took out the new pair of shoes. "You didn't have to." "But I chose to." Dust scoffed. "Got payday early. Decided to spoil my captain a little bit." Lightning Dust pulled Rainbow over towards her and gave the girl a long kiss on the cheek. "Enough Dust." Rainbow scoffed as she pushed the girl off her. "What's the occasion?" "Got a big payday." Dust smirked. "Might be getting more in the future. I've been in a cheerful mood." "Wish we could feel the same." Rarity sighed. "Ay, come on. What's the big deal?" Dust asked as she sat down next to Rainbow at the table. "Why the sour mood?" "It's Sunset." Rainbowdash scowled. "She's still spreading rumors." "Ah, yes. Anon-A-Miss. May she burn in hell." Dust rolled her eyes. "Please. As if she is some big shot." "She manipulated Pinkie to be her friend again." Rarity mumbled. "And we can't get through to her." Rainbow noticed Dust's demeanor change and shift. It seemed to shift to worry and concern, but it was the hint of frustration and anger under it that caught her attention. Dust didn't seem to be bothered by much, but when it did, she had a hard time hiding it. However, Rainbow wasn't sure why Pinkie rejoining Sunset would bother the girl so much. "Ah, that is a problem." Dust nodded. "How about this? As a celebration of my sudden bonus, I go talk with her." "You'll do that for us?" Rarity beamed. "I am a generous girl." Dust smirked. "Please, Dust. You don't have to do this." Rainbow sighed. "Please, captain. I insist." Dust insisted. Rainbow began to protest but saw that Dust had that steely gaze. The one that said that she wasn't going to budge on the issue. "Fine. Just be gentle." Rainbow rolled her eyes. "I am always gentle, captain." Dust smirked before getting up from the table. Lightning Dust left the table and saw Pinkie helping Mrs. Cake take some confectionaries out from the back. Dust narrowed her eyes and waited until Pinkie had put all the boxes onto a service cart. The moment Pinkie's hand was empty, Dust rapidly approached the girl, slammed her hand against the metal handle of the cart, and then glared at her. "I need to speak to you about a certain Sunset Shimmer. Would you indulge me for a second?" Dust asked. Pinkie hesitated and looked over at Mrs. Cake. The woman simply shrugged before stating, "Go talk with your friend. You've been going through a lot lately anyways." The woman said before taking the cart and wheeling it away. "So. I have heard that you have been feeling bad for Sunset." Dust explained as she walked up to a table in the cafe in front of Pinkie. She and Pinkie sat down in front of each other, the latter averting her eyes nervously over toward the table where her other friends sat. However, the other rainbooms quickly turned away the moment Pinkie turned her attention toward them. "Now. How about we have a drink and a small chat?" Dust smirked as she took out a small bottle from her backpack along with two tiny shot cups. "I don't drink." Pinkie declined. "Oh, come on." Dust smirked. "What's wrong with indulging yourself a little?" The girl chuckled. "Sometimes, you just need to treat yourself, eh?" Pinkie started to decline again but felt the other girl's gaze focused on her. As she looked up at Lightning Dust's eyes, there was something unnatural about it. It gave a menacing hue and seemed to bare down right at her. She began to sweat a little as Dust leaned forward a bit. The girl poured the two shots and pushed one over toward her. The drink smelled of berries. There was something tantalizing about it as she felt a strange force pushing her to drink. It beckoned her to give up her inhibitions and simply drink. Pinkie took in a deep breath and forced herself to push the drink away. "I don't drink sorry." She smiled while her blood began to chill, causing her to shiver a bit. "Well, more for me." Dust shrugged as she took the two shots and downed them both in rapid succession. "So tell me, why do you feel bad for the girl who started Anon-A-Miss hmm?" "She isn't Anon-A-Miss!" Pinkie snapped. "Why do people keep saying it's her while it's obviously not." "Because she blackmailed people into doing favors for her, don't you remember?" Dust explained. "How could it not be her?" Pinkie hesitated as she watched Lightning Dust pour another shot. The girl pushed it in the middle of the table, just far enough so that it was out of reach, but close enough that Pinkie could smell the aroma wafting towards her. "I thought about it as well, but many of those favors seemed to be mostly done to ruin her reputation, and not help her in any way. Like, what benefit does Sunset have from blackmailing a random student to draw graffiti all over the desks of students?" "Maybe she hates the school, I don't know. Besides, didn't she have enemies from the classroom? Maybe she wanted to send a message?" Dust shrugged. "Sunset doesn't hate Derpy." Pinkie snapped. "Didn't she bully that poor innocent girl before Twilight arrived?" Dust said softly, her face scrunching up in a mockingly sad visage. "I don't know why she did it, but she explicitly said that it wasn't personal. Whoever is trying to frame her must be a dummy and super bad at their job." "Maybe she was lying?" Dust snapped, slamming her hand on the table, causing Pinkie to flinch. "Ever thought of that tidbit? Huh?" Pinkie looked up and saw that Lightning Dust features had now turned cold and stern. Behind the girl's eyes was nothing but ice as she glared at Pinkie. The girl's mouth was a sneer, and it was obvious to Pinkie that her patience was running low. "W-well ...I know Sunset, and I know she wouldn't lie about that." "Yeah, because she totally didn't lie to you before, did she?" Dust sneered. "W-why are you so invested in this anyways?" Pinkie tried to remain calm as she tried to avert her eyes from Dust's icy glare. "You involved in Anon-A-Miss in any way?" "You are treading on fragile ground GIRL." Dust scowled. "Y-yeah. I-in what way?" Pinkie stammered. "I didn't say that you were Anon-A-Miss did I?" She muttered. Pinkie could hear Dust growling now, and when she slowly looked over at Dust without turning her head, she saw the girl's expression now resembled an angry tiger. Dust got up from her seat and stepped forward as if to approach Pinkie, which caused the girl's blood to turn cold. Even though they were in a public place, somehow, she sensed that wouldn't stop whatever Dust was going to do. Before Lightning Dust could get any closer, a hand grabbed the girl by the shoulder and stopped her in her tracks. "You causing trouble?" A familiar voice sneered, Pinkie looked over and saw none other than Bon Bon, gripping Lightning Dust's shoulder with a stern expression. Lightning Dust let out a snort and brushed Bon Bon's hand aside before raising her hand up. "Was just leaving." Dust snapped before storming off past the Rainbooms, who watched in confusion before the girl walked out of the cafe. "Thanks." Pinkie muttered as Bon Bon sat where Lightning Dust was. "Had a conversation with Sunset." Bon Bon said. "S-sorry about the whole thing at the school." "Bah, I have had worse meetings." Bon Bon snorted. "Anyways, me and Sunset had a friendly discussion as calm and reasonable people and have come to an agreement." "O-oh. That's good." Pinkie beamed. "Yes. I don't want to keep you here, Mrs. Cake seems to need your help." Bon Bon remarked as she pointed at the woman who was moving a cart full of pastries towards the truck. "O-oh. Right!" Pinkie jumped up. Before the girl could run off, Bon Bon noticed the shot glass sitting in the middle of the table. She snatched it and sniffed it before grabbing Pinkie's arm. "Hey, where did this come from?" The girl asked Pinkie. Pinkie opened her mouth in surprise and turned towards the entrance where Lightning Dust had walked out of. "Oh, it came from Dust. I don't know where she got it, though. Why?" Bon Bon gave Pinkie a small smile. "Was just curious. I recognized the brand. I guess we both drink the same type." "Oh. I didn't know you drank." "I am a woman of many secrets." Bon Bon smiled. "Welp, you have a fundraiser to go to, don't you?" Pinkie gave the girl a smile before running off to help Mrs. Cake with her pastries. Bon Bon narrowed her eyes as she stared at the shot cup, which had a bunch of berries wafting out from it. She stuck a finger into it and tasted a drop of the beverage. From what she gathered, it had supernatural qualities to it, one which made people drop their inhibitions and restraint. However, it was a special brand mostly done to rile people up. "Ninkasi." Bon Bon hissed. Witchblade Berry Punch stood in front of the school, staring out into the sky while mixing a vial of her special brand of whisky. She let out a small whistle as she saw the different attendees walk up the steps towards the double doors in front of them. {Are you nervous?} "A little." Berry Punch nodded. "Let me fix that." Berry popped open her vial and gulped down the entire bottle before letting out a satisfied sigh. She wiped her mouth using her sleeve as she leaned back against the railing of the school soccer field. "All fixed." She smirked. {Hm. You seem to be in a jolly mood.} "Well, today you are going to become the prince, aren't you? That means more drinks for all of us." {You know that's not how it works. Tell me, I never understood why you let yourself be possessed.} Berry Punch smirked and let out a small sigh. "When Sunset Shimmer was still the queen of this school, I was her supply of illegal alcohol due to my dashing looks and capability to create alcohol out of thin air." The girl muttered. {The same Sunset Shimmer that Anon-A-Miss is targeting?} "The one and only." Berry slurred. "After she got dethroned, though, life got hellish. Got worse when she spilled on all her associates." Berry let out a small sigh. "My parents weren't happy, and neither was the principal." Berry turned towards the school with a scowl. "This school forgot who was the hand that fed it. They didn't complain when I provided my own special brand of alcohol, but when it was convenient, they threw me under the bus." Berry squeezed her bottle, causing it to shatter in her grasp. "I won't miss this school when it goes up in flames." Berry smirked. "They'll learn. They'll learn soon enough that you don't bite the hand that feeds you. The hand that kept them so fat and happy." {Huh. You remind me of myself.} "Do I?" {After mortals slowly stopped believing in me, me and my pantheon had to flee. Like other pantheons, we were absorbed into others. Mortals forgot who their brewer was and continued to drink while they cast me aside.} "Hm." Berry Punch closed her eyes and let out a small sigh. "That seems to be a recurring theme recently." {Quite, and I was lucky to be turned into a Wendigo instead of the other many nasty creatures I could have been transformed into. But after this, I should have enough power to break free from my chains and reclaim some power once again.} "What do you have planned after all of this is over?" {I'm thinking of taking up craft brewing.} "Hardy har." Berry Punch snorted as she turned back towards the school. "It's showtime. Let's hope that Lightning Dust lives up to her family name." {Whether or not she does, all that matters is the ritual going through.} "Don't worry. I remember." Berry Punch muttered. She looked up and saw that some of the attendees of the fundraiser were looking at her strangely. She let out a sigh realizing that she must be looking crazy for speaking to herself. 'You ready?' {As ready as we'll ever be.} 'Showtime then.' Berry Punch stretched her arms and turned towards the school. 'Good riddance, you hunk of concrete.' The girl then turned and walked off. Berry made her way into the parking lot behind the school and leaned against the brick wall. She took in a deep breath before reaching into Ninkasi's power. She felt the Wendigo's power flow into her, stretching and twisting her body until she was transformed into a large orange-skinned woman. She took in a deep breath and gave a toothy grin as she felt the demon's consciousness merge with hers. Her time was now, and she was ready. Author's Note Hello there Hi. Just some notes about this chapter. This chapter was the hardest one to write, because there were just too many characters. I also plan to add more, so I have spent a lot of time debating what to do with them. I have made the decision to make some minor arcs to further develop some of the characters. I plan to go further into explaining Thorax, Silverstream, and the rest of the Cyberforce in later chapters after this arc before I go on to the next Wendigo. This chapter also went through a lot of changes. My original idea was to reveal that Thorax had killed Gilda's parents, but that made the story too bogged down, so I had to trim it down. I also intended Thorax and Silverstream to have larger roles, but then I realized I couldn't fit them all in this arc, so I had to make that cut as well. Another part is how I was planning to fit the Wendigos into the story. They were originally supposed to be the princes of hell, but then I watched Hazbin Hotel and realized that there were better candidates for that role, so I demoted them to Dukes. The actual Princes will appear later, and it also suits that the Wendigos are minor demons. I also wanted to fit other mythologies into the story, because Ninkasi and the other Wendigo's names came from other deities or mythological figures. And I wanted to acknowledge their roles instead of just robbing their name from underneath them. I am nearly done with the final part of the arc, and it should be out very soon so stay tuned. (EDITS) Bon Bon regained hearing and overhead Sunset saying she has the Witchblade on
(Case 2-3 Ninkasi): The Gluttonous FundraiserSnowflakes drifted gently from the sky down to the ground as soft as cotton. Sunset stood in front of SugarCube Corner alongside Gilda as they stared into the shop. Sunset rubbed her bracelet as she waited nervously for the Rainbooms to leave. They were all packing up and looked to be having a small discussion which was inaudible to her. "They are probably talking about you." Gilda muttered. "Probably still having their panties in a twist about Anon-A-Miss." "Yeah." Sunset muttered. "Why are you still crying over them? They aren't your friends." "They were there during my lowest moment." Sunset snapped. "I need to stick with them while they are at theirs." Gilda let out a small sigh as she turned towards Sunset. "Listen, girl. I know RainbowDash, and I know that she is as loyal as they come to her friends ...." "Really?" Sunset snorted. "She was quite quick to ditch me." "That's the thing." Gilda remarked. "She is loyal to her friends, and she ditched you. Now put the pieces together." That caused Sunset to bristle. "I know you think you are helping ...." "I am." "But I am sticking with them. And that's final." The ostracized girl growled stubbornly. "Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" Gilda snapped. Before Sunset could come up with a response, RainbowDash and the rest of the Rainbooms walked out of SugarCube Corner. Sunset turned towards Gilda with a finger up and muttered, "We'll talk about this later." Gilda let out an exasperated sigh and threw her arms up in the air as RainbowDash, Applejack, and Rarity walked past them. Applejack crossed her arms as the three of them faced Sunset and Gilda. "We aren't here for any trouble guys." Sunset sighed. "Please, I've had a long day." "I don't know what you've said to trick Pinkie Pie ...." Applejack started. "Oh, for fucks sake." Gilda muttered. "But if you hurt her, I will make sure you regret it." Applejack sneered. "Oh please. This isn't about Anon-A-Miss." Gilda snorted. "Excuse me?" Gilda scowled as she walked up towards the farm girl and towered over her. She looked down and gave a crooked grin. "You know what I am talking about." "Gilda. Enough. Just let them throw their insults, and then we can go." Sunset grabbed Gilda's arm, but the large girl wouldn't move. "This is about the bake sale, isn't it?" Gilda snorted. "Still never moved on from that. Honest in how she speaks, but as thick-headed as they come." "Gilda!" "This isn't about the Bake Sale." The farm girl snapped. "Oh yeah, sure it isn't." Gilda scoffed. "Oh, please. I know all about grudges, and I can recognize it from a mile away." "Darling, just let them go. Ignore them, they just want attention." Rarity sighed. Applejack hesitated but finally clenched her teeth and walked around Gilda with Rarity and RainbowDash behind her. Sunset looked down at the ground as the three walked past them. However, as she heard their footsteps fade into the background, she couldn't help but ask one question. "I thought we were friends." Sunset asked without looking behind her. "We were." RainbowDash answered, with the others being silent. Sunset stood still, right there on the sidewalk, as she tried to retain her composure. A small sniffle escaped her lips as all the emotion she had been pushing away bubbled out onto the surface. She wiped her eyes, telling herself over and over that she had a job to do, but her soul wouldn't stop as tears began to drip from her cheeks. The former unicorn let out an ugly cough as she slowly lost the battle against her emotions. She didn't notice Gilda wrapping her arms around her until the tall girl had Sunset in a large hug. "Don't let them get to you." Gilda muttered. "Y-yeah." Sunset stammered. "I-I was just c-caught off g-guard." "Take as long as you need." "N-no. I-I don't want to k-keep Bon Bon waiting." "I couldn't give a damn what Bon Bon thought. What about you?" Gilda whispered. Sunset stopped protesting and simply held Gilda's arms closer as she finally stopped fighting the tears and let them flow out. She let out heartbroken sobs as Gilda hugged Sunset closer. She clenched her teeth and broke down, with Gilda being the only reason why she hadn't fallen to the ground. After a couple of minutes, Sunset's emotions began to steady. She hiccuped and wiped her eyes with her sleeves before letting out one final sob. "I'm done." She muttered miserably. "It'll be okay, Sunny." Gilda muttered. "The sun will rise again one day." "Did you just come up with that just now?" "Mmmmmaybe." Gilda smirked. Sunset let out a snort before taking in a deep breath. She slowly pulled herself out of Gilda's grasp and turned towards SugarCube Corner once again. "Come on. Let's go see what was so urgent that Bon Bon needed us here as soon as possible." Sunset whispered. "Fine. Don't want to give her any more material to complain about, ay?" Gilda smirked. Both of them walked through the doors of SugarCube Corner, where they immediately saw Sweetie Drops, known to them as Bon Bon, sitting at one of the tables at the back of the store. The girl had a scowl on her face and was tapping on the table impatiently. When she saw the two enter, she threw her hands up and gestured impatiently for them to sit in front of her. Sunset and Gilda did as instructed and sat in front of the girl who had her hands in front of her. "You're late." "You didn't give us a time limit." Gilda shrugged. "If you immediately came here from Sunset's home, you would have been here three minutes earlier." Bon Bon snapped. "How do you know that?" Sunset asked. "I have my ways." Bon Bon shrugged. "Time is precious. I have been tracking the demon of Gluttony and have managed to trace her location." The girl explained. "Great. So, do we know who she is?" Sunset questioned. "No. Her identity is hidden to me as it will be to you." Bon Bon explained. "Though I don't know what the demon host is, I do know where they will be." "Perfect. Where and when?" Sunset shrugged. "Canterlort High School and tonight." Bon Bon answered. This caused Sunset's emotions to flare up, and she slammed her hand on the table, which caused it to shake. This got the attention of Mister Cake, who was wiping down a couple of tables. He turned towards them with an eyebrow raised. "Is everything okay?" Mister Cake asked. "Everything is fine." Bon Bon answered as she glared at Sunset. "We were just hashing out some disagreements. Sunset here is a very reasonable person, and she will demonstrate this by sitting down!" Sunset scowled but followed the girl's instructions and sat back down. Mr. Cake shrugged and walked away into the backroom of the Cafe, leaving them all alone in the diner. Bon Bon reached into her jacket pocket and took out a small metal flask. "Your friends will be okay." Bon Bon explained. "Pinkie Pie is just there to deliver the confectionaries, and Octavia is doing the performance. All Ninkasi wants are the attendees." "You didn't see it fit to tell us that a wendigo was going to attack our school today earlier?!" Sunset hissed. "This plan is extremely sensitive. I had to think it over." Bon Bon rationalized. "But after some consideration, I have determined that I hate you less than the demons trying to eat all of our souls." "You still think Sunset here is Anon-A-Miss?" Gilda raised an eyebrow. "I don't care if she's Anon-A-Miss or not; she tormented everyone in the school for years. Do you expect all of us to just forgive and forget?" "You sure seemed keen after Twilight." Gilda snapped. Bon Bon pursed her lips and stared down at her metal flask, her face twisting with what looked to be shame, apprehension, and inner conflict. "That was different." She muttered. "Sure didn't seem like it." Gilda growled. "So what changed huh? When the Sirens attacked, you and the rest of the school seemed to like her when she could solve all your problems." Before Gilda could get another word out, the pink and blue-haired girl slammed her hand onto the table. "Do you want to help your friends or not?" She scowled. Sunset let out a sigh but relented and raised her hand in front of Gilda. "I don't like it either, but a demon is currently as the school. We can scold her about her distrust later." Sunset muttered. Gilda nodded, crossed her arms, and gestured for Bon Bon to continue. Before they could continue their conversation, Mr. Cake walked over with a towel wrapped around his arm. "The cafe is going to close soon. Are there any last-minute orders you want to make?" The man asked. "No. We were just on our way." Bon Bon explained before she stood up from her seat. She took out her wallet and handed the man a dollar bill. "Tell Pinkie I said hi." "Will do." The store owner nodded as Bon Bon headed towards the door. "You two. In my car." Bon Bon ordered. Sunset rolled her eyes but followed the girl with Gilda right next to her. They all walked out of the cafe with Bon Bon at the lead. She led them towards a large business van that had Bon Bon's candy shop logo drawn on the side. She opened up the back of her van and gestured for the other two to follow behind her. As they all entered Bon Bon's van, Sunset immediately noticed the sniper rifle, rocket launcher, and grenades that lined the walls. There were small laptops strewn across the floor with a map of Canterlot High School right in the middle. Bon Bon closed the door behind them and turned on the ceiling lamp before turning her attention to the school map. "Okay. So there will be a ritual occurring tonight. It won't start until the attendees start eating, which will occur here." Bon Bon explained as she pointed in the middle of the auditorium. "I suspect the food will be spiked, so don't touch any." "You suspect?" Sunset hissed. "The demon feeds off of Gluttony. It can also induce Gluttonous behavior, but the environment needs to be right." Bon Bon explained. "When the initial spell reaches its limit, the ritual will begin, and the entire area will lock down, trapping everyone inside." "Trapping everyone inside." Sunset muttered. "I am familiar with these types of spells. Nobody in, and nobody out." Bon Bon nodded in confirmation. "Precisely. However, so will the Wendigo, which is where I planned to spring the trap. However ....do you still have the Witchblade?" Sunset nodded as she rubbed the bracelet on her wrist, its red gem gleaming under the light. "It never leaves my wrist." "Good then." Bon Bon muttered. "So all you need to do is get into the school building, wait for the Wendigo to reveal itself, and then we banish it." "What about the host?" Sunset snapped. Sunset saw Bon Bon hesitate and watched as the girl rubbed her fingers together. "I have a device that will neutralize the demon." She finally answered after a short time of deliberation. "Will it kill them?" Sunset asked. "Does it matter?" "To me, it does." "Then good for you because the device doesn't kill the host. Just knocks them on their ass for a couple of minutes." Bon Bon explained. "Then we can neutralize the demon and keep the host alive." "So all you need for me to do is to distract the demon while you trap it?" Sunset raised an eyebrow. "Yep." "Seems too simple." "Wendigos are not that smart." Bon Bon shrugged. "Besides, the most simple plans are usually the best plans." Sunset pursed her lips before finally letting out a heavy sigh. "Fine then. We'll go with what you have." "Good. Then I'll get us moving." Bon Bon said as she moved towards the front of the van. She reached into one of the seat pockets and took out two earpieces. "Catch." The girl tossed them into Sunset's and Gilda's arm. "When we get there, I'll keep you updated on the plan and keep track of you. Press the center when you want to speak to me. Got it?" "Got it." Sunset muttered as Bon Bon got into the driver's seat and started the vehicle. "I don't like this Sunset. This is moving too fast." Gilda whispered as the van began to move. Sunset nodded as an uncomfortable feeling crept up her spine. She turned towards Bon Bon and saw the girl move rigidly as she drove the van down the street. Something was wrong about this whole situation, and she couldn't help but feel they were being led along. "I agree." Sunset muttered. "But we don't have a choice. If there is a Wendigo attacking the school tonight ...." "I know." Gilda nodded as she reached into her jacket, procuring out a small metal cylinder. "Got the spear, just in case." "You've just been carrying this around?" Sunset asked. Gilda nodded yet again with a sly smile. "Yeah. Real good at smuggling things, you see." }}}The girl has good sense. There is a darkness surrounding the agent you are working with{{{ 'What do you mean?' }}}She is good at clouding her intentions. That is never a good sign. Keep vigilient.{{{ 'I will.' "When we get to the school, they won't be happy to see us." Gilda muttered as she put her spear back into her jacket. "I know." "Everyone in the school still thinks you're Anon-A-Miss, including Bon Bon here." Gilda murmured as she turned to look over at the girl driving. "Why are we working with her, even though she clearly still hates the both of us?" "Because right now, we can't afford to be picky with our allies." "Allies who hate us or are massive assholes." Sunset looked over at Bon Bon and gave a small, sad smile. "I don't blame her. Ann-A-Miss has shown me very few people actually forgave me." "Then why work with her? Let's go together and do it ourselves. Come on, we can take it." Sunset let out a small chuckle. "I'm sure we can. But I don't want to put you at unnecessary risk. Bon Bon here has probably done all the planning and has everything figured out already. We don't have one since we weren't even aware of this attack until now. So much for my detective work." Gilda let out a small sigh as she leaned against the car wall. "We sure have a habit of getting ourselves into a pinch ay?" She smirked. "Yeah." Sunset smirked. "But then again, are you really surprised?" Gilda let out a small snort in response. Sunset looked down at the Witchblade bracelet which sat on her wrist. She felt warmth emanate from it, and she began to feel a bit better. She began to rub the red gem as she prepared herself for yet another fight. Witchblade Lightning Dust let out a scowl as she parked her car in the parking lot of the school. She walked out towards the trunk, opened it up, and opened up a large black suitcase. Before she could begin to do what she had been tasked to complete, she felt her phone begin to ring in her pocket. She took out her phone and saw that it was Sunny Flare. She picked up the call and was greeted with, "You're late." In an annoyed tone. "Sorry, girl. had some trouble at the cafe." Dust smirked. "Will it be a problem?" "Nah, don't worry about it. Just that Pinkie Girl doesn't think that Sunset is Anon-A-Miss anymore." A loud groan was heard from the other end of the call. "That is a big problem. Is she working with Sunset?" "Not to my knowledge, no. Besides, she's one of the targets of the hit. I splatter their brains across the walls, call it an accident, then we call it a job well done." "If you don't do this discreetly, I am docking your next paycheck." Sunny Flare snapped. "No more murderous rampages. We need less heat." "Don't worry, I'll shoot a chandelier or something and cause it to fall on the infidels." "That's so obvious. I have hidden a chip that has all the information about the school behind one of the trees behind your car; use that." Sunny Flare scolded. Lightning Dust let out a groan and walked around towards that Sunny mentioned, and when she kneeled in front of it, she saw the small plastic chip lying against one of the roots. She picked it up while taking out her small modified ChangeData smartphone to slot the chip in. "Cops are swarming the area. Seems like the police department got tipped off about this little operation. You'll have to eliminate them before making your way to the gym." Sunny explained while Dust watched all the information displayed to her from her smartphone's screen. "From there, you have multiple angles to eliminate your target, which should be displayed to you." "I see it." Dust affirmed as she narrowed her eyes. "Found a good spot." "Silencer on. Use the modified one from ChangeData. Remember, no mass murders." Sunny Flare snapped. "Got it, whatever." Dust snorted as Sunny ended the call. The sports girl shoved her smartphone back into her pocket before making her way back towards her car. She picked up her suitcase and went to the back of the school. From there, she took out a pistol, a rifle, along with a rocket launcher. After arming herself, she finished off her preparation by taking an orange mask with black stripes on the left half out. "There we go. Now we're in action." Dust smirked as she placed the masks over her face. She let out a small smile as she chambered a shell into her rifle. Witchblade Pinkie Pie placed the confectionaries onto the table that was set up around the gym. She wiped the sweat from her brow before patting her hands on her skirt. She gave a big smile before turning to Mrs. Cake, who was setting up the large cake in the middle of the gym. "All done." Pinkie announced cheerfully to the woman. "Thank you, Pinkie." Mrs. Cake smiled as she wiped her hand on her apron. "This order was a doozy. With all the cake and dessert they were ordering, you would think they were serving a small city." "Now that would be a party!" Pinkie beamed. Celestia and Luna walked over towards the two smiling while averting their eyes from the police presence in the gym. The two were dressed in formal wear, with Celestia wearing a golden and marble-colored dress. Luna, meanwhile, wore a dark blue, starry one that contrasted her sister's more sunny attire. "Thank you two for accepting such a large commission for this evening." Celestia smiled softly. "No problem!" Pinkie smirked. "SugarCube Corner is always happy to accommodate." "We do really appreciate it, you two. The other bakeries could only supply so much." Luna sighed. "This event is really important to us and the school." "Despite it being sponsored by a known criminal now." Celestia grumbled. "Say what?" Pinkie blinked. "The Iron Lady of Canterlot helped set this whole operation up." Luna muttered. "Her real name is still not known to most of the public, other than a few close associates." Luna let out a small sigh. "It's been a bit of a public relations disaster ever since her illegal dealings were revealed, but we still need to go through with it. Too much money and time was sunk into it." "And I wonder who had a hand in doing that?" A stern snobbish voice interrupted. Pinkie looked over Celestia and Luna's shoulder just as the two women turned around towards the source. What Pinkie saw made her blood turn cold, and her eyes began to widen as the figure walked up. It was none other than the masked woman who attacked her home, who attacked her parents and siblings. "Aria Blaze." Celestia pursed her lips as she stared at the tall woman who was walking up towards them with a small strut in her step. "Oh, come on. You say my name with such scorn." Aria Blaze snickered. "As if I somehow wronged you." "A version of you." Luna scoffed. "Pardon?" "Nothing." Luna muttered. Aria Blaze smirked as she walked over towards Pinkie, who was still frozen in shock as the mask that nearly killed her stood right before her. Pinkie took a step backward, but not before Aria lifted her head up with a finger. "Who is this girl?" Aria whispered. "Her name is Pinkie Pie. A student at our school who helped prepare this event." Celestia answered with a sigh. "Leave her alone; you're scaring the poor girl." "Nonsense. She's just having a bit of stage fright." Aria said as Pinkie pulled herself away from Aria. "Is it the mask?" "Pinkie had an encounter with a masked hitman." Celestia sighed. "Well then, never liked this thing anyway." Aria said as she reached up to her face and slowly pulled the heavy metal mask off. She gave a sly smile as she looked down at Pinkie, whose eyes widened. Aria parted her hair away to show more of her face and turned towards Celestia and Luna, who stared at her agape. "Am I too stunning for your taste?" Luna was the first one to blink out of her trance and shook her head. "Aria, why are you here? Shouldn't you be dealing with the PR disaster that Iron International is in?" "Maybe I should." Aria pressed her hands together. "But I decided to take a break today. Besides, I believe as the sister of the benefactress of this event, I should attend out of courtesy." "We would be thankful if you didn't." Luna scoffed. "Excuse me?" Before Luna could say anymore, Celestia cupped a hand over Luna's mouth and gave a forced smile. "She's trying to say that we don't want to bother you and take away valuable time away from your business." "Please. I can always make time for my subjects." Aria gave Celestia a small pat on the arm. "Don't sweat over it." Celestia grimaced from Aria's touch. She pushed the woman's hand away and cleared her throat. "Well, we are honored with your presence then." "Please, Celestia, don't be so formal." Aria scoffed as she turned towards Pinkie. She put a hand on Pinkie's shoulder, which caused the smaller girl to squirm. She tried to wrangle herself out of Aria's grasp, but the woman's grip was too strong. "I am not my sister. Just call me Ms. Blaze." "We still have some preparations to make, so if you would excuse us." Luna grimaced. Aria widened her eyes and lifted up her hand. "Of course. Besides, I need to have a word with young Pinkie here anyway about some ....business." "What business would you have with a student?" Celestia snapped. "Just business." Aria shrugged. "My sister recommended the services of SugarCube Corner before she was jailed." "Really?" Luna raised an eyebrow. Aria let out an exaggerated sigh, slumping her shoulder as she did so. She raised an eyebrow towards the two sisters. "Don't you have a fundraiser to prepare? Trust me, Pinkie will be safe with me and the ...." Aria looked around the room while gesturing out towards the multiple officers in the room. "And the entire police force, apparently." Aria chortled. Celestia looked hesitant to leave Aria with Pinkie in her hands, and Luna narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Eventually, though, Luna grabbed Celestia's shoulder and pulled the woman away. "We need to go have a talk with the police chief, remember?" She hissed. "Yeah, yeah, I remember." Celestia muttered before allowing herself to be pulled away by her sister. Aria watched as the two walked off towards the door of the gym. She smirked in amusement as the multiple police officers in the room glared at her, with hands sitting near their holsters. "Now that we are alone ...." Aria smirked as she gripped Pinkie's arm. "Let's have a small chat, shall we?" "W-what do you want?" Pinkie whispered nervously. "Just to ....reminisce about old times." Aria shrugged. "Nothing big." "I know you're the one who attacked me and my family." Pinkie muttered silently as she tried to stop her entire body from shaking. "I don't really care." Aria snorted. "However, I do need a favor from you." "W-what do you want?" Pinkie muttered. Aria simply just smiled as she slowly turned her head to look at Pinkie Pie. The girl's heart began to beat faster as she saw the sly grin forming on Aria's face. "Just need some bait." Witchblade When the van finally arrived at Canterlot High School, Bon Bon parked it on the sidewalk in front of the main entrance. The spot was conveniently empty for them despite the fact that there were many parked vehicles for the anti-bullying fundraiser. Sunset looked out the window and bristled at how many people were attending the event. "Look, Sunset, you're famous." Bon Bon snorted as she placed a small parking receipt onto the dashboard of the card. It seemed to Sunset that Bon Bon did have this all planned out after all. "The anti-bullying fundraiser could be for anything." Sunset muttered. "Yeah, the anti-bullying fundraiser that occurred right after Anon-A-Miss is totally a coincidence." Bon Bon snarked. "They'll all recognize you, and it'll break what we are doing here." "Do you have a plan, or are you just going to throw a childish tantrum all night?" Gilda snapped. Bon Bon let out a sigh before leaving the driver's wheel and making her way to the back of the vehicle. She grabbed two suitcases and handed them to Gilda and Sunset Shimmer. "What is this?" Sunset asked as she opened up the one given to her to see that there was a suit inside of it. "I was originally going to go in, but I decided the task would be best suited for you two." Bon Bon shrugged. "I'll stay here and monitor the situation from here." "So we take all the risk while you get to sit comfy. Got it." Gilda snorted. "There is a massive police presence here, and I can best monitor their movements from here." Bon Bon snapped. "Why is the entire police department here anyways?" Sunset asked as she peeked out the window, focusing her vision on the cops at the entrance. They were all spread out in an attempt to seem inconspicuous, and some of them were even wearing casual clothes in an attempt to disguise themselves. However, Sunset's vision was able to discern them thanks to the ability given to her by Sara Pezzini. "Because I tipped them off." Bon Bon answered. "Why?" Sunset asked incredulously. "Distraction." Bon Bon smirked. "When things go to hell, you'll be glad for the backup." Sunset rolled her eyes but closed her suitcase and made her way towards the backdoor. "Okay, where do we go?" She asked. "Backdoor of the school, through the parking lot. Stay in the shadows. This mission will be compromised if you are seen. Nobody can know that we are here." Bon Bon explained. "Also, none of us has an invitation." "Won't they recognize our face?" Sunset asked. "There is a small button on the tie. It will make your features more indiscernible." Bon Bon explained. "Don't get too close to anybody; otherwise, they will see through it. And remember ..." "Yeah yeah, stay stealthy." Gilda muttered as she and Sunset walked out the back of the van. The dark of night covered the school like a black veil. Sunset activated the Witchblade to get a better vision of her surroundings. From what she could see, most of the attendees were concentrated at the front of the school which gave a small path past some cars that lead into the parking lot in the back. Sunset ducked her head and gave Gilda a small pat on the shoulder to get their attention. She gestured for the white-haired girl to follow her through the street and between the cars parked on the sidewalk. The dark of night covered them as they snuck past the attendees who were in line next to the horse statue. After that, it was smooth sailing from there as they ducked behind the school building and made their way towards the parking lot. }}}Sunset. There is something off with this school.{{{ The Witchblade suddenly piped up. 'What is it?" }}}There is a spell around the building.{{{ 'Yeah, Bon Bon already told us about the shield.' }}}This isn't the shield. This is something else.{{{ 'What is it then?' }}}It is a very minor presence, and I barely felt it back in the vehicle. It is much stronger here. I feel like there is more that Bon Bon girl isn't telling us.{{{ Sunset and Gilda made it to the parking lot and began to approach the backdoor into the school. As they did, Bon Bon spoke up in their earpieces and informed them that there were a couple of police patrols passing by the area and that they needed to wait for her signal. Sunset waited by the door, but her mind was more focused on what the Witchblade was saying. 'Are you saying we might be set up?' }}}I am advising you to approach with caution.{{{ "Hey Sunset, are you speaking with the Witchblade?" Gilda whispered to her. "Yeah, how can you tell?" Sunset asked. Gilda tapped the side of her face next to her eyes. "You get this blank stare. What did the Witchblade say?" "Said to approach with caution. There is another spell in the area." Sunset explained. "What's new?" Gilda grumbled. "First magic, then sirens right before demons." Before Sunset could say anything else, Bon Bon spoke up through the earpiece, "Okay, guys, make your way down the hall now. Into the bathroom." Sunset reached for the backdoor and tried to open it, only to find it locked. She let out a small curse before backing up and manifesting a small metal blade that extended out from the Witchblade. She jabbed it into the lock and began to work on the lock before it finally clicked. She then pushed the doors open into the buildings. "Nice trick." Gilda nodded. "Didn't know it would work." Sunset sighed. "Wish I brought my lockpicking set with me." "You have one?" "You don't?" Gilda let out a small chuckle. "Yeah, fair enough." The two made their way into the school building, down the path given by Bon Bon. They eventually arrived at the bathrooms, which they quickly entered. Gilda and Sunset entered different stalls and began to change their clothes into the disguises that Bon Bon provided them. As they changed Bon Bon suddenly began to speak frantically. "No good. There is another person in the system." She muttered. "Who is it?" Sunset asked as she pressed the earpiece. "I don't know who it is, but they are good. I'll deal with them, and you deal with the Wendigo. "What about the device?" Gilda asked from the other stall. "It is hidden. The device will activate when the Wendigo is weakened." "It better." Gilda growled. "Otherwise, It's your ass I'm going to kick." Sunset finished changing into her suit and walked out of the stall alongside Gilda. She fumbled around her tie, found the button that Bon Bon was talking about, and pressed it. Immediately, a small veil surrounded her head that distorted the air around it. She could still see through it, though. She turned towards Gilda and saw the effects. The device made it so that their features were twisted in a way so that it was always blurry and indiscernible but subtle enough that it wouldn't draw too much attention. "Okay, where to now?" Sunset asked Bon Bon. "Make your way to the gym, and act like you belong. Wait for when Ninkasi appears. Don't eat any of the food." "Well, that's just a shame. I was thinking of gorging myself." Gilda snarked. "I'm serious. Eat one bite, and you get to be one of Ninkasi's victims." Bon Bon snapped. "Fun." Gilda muttered as they walked out of the restroom. "We won't touch a single cake." They made their way towards the gym, passing by a couple of officers on the way. The officers raised their eyebrows but let them pass as some attendees walked out of the gym towards the restrooms they were just in. When Sunset entered the gym, the first thing she noticed was how many confectionaries were piled up around the entire area. Huge cakes and shelves full of pastries ranging from cupcakes to cookies in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Tables were set up around the entire room, and many of them were filled. She kept her head down as she scanned the gym full of people for a place to sit. However, most of them were already full of attendees, who had plates full of sugary sweets, enough to cause a cardiac arrest. "Gilda, did you find a place to sit?" Sunset muttered into her earpiece. "Yeah, found a nice place all the way in the corner. There's a cop next to me, though." "Just keep your head down and be ready for anything." "Don't worry about me. Focus on you." Sunset approached one of the confectionary tables and pretended to be browsing the sweets. As she stood there, she heard familiar voices whispering near her. She looked up and saw none other than Lyra and Vinyl Scratch walking over towards her. "Vinyl and Lyra are here." Sunset hissed into her earpiece. "They'll leave with Octavia when she finishes her performance." Bon Bon reassured her from the other end. "Just sit tight." Sunset ducked her head down as Lyra and Vinyl stood next to her, looking down at the confectionaries. As she stood there, though, she began to eavesdrop on their conversation. "Octavia's mother is such a tight asshole." Lyra scowled. "What kind of mother starves her own child?" "I am more worried about Bon Bon." Vinyl whispered. From her appearance, nobody would guess that Vinyl Scratch was actually a very soft-spoken girl. There was a reason why Octavia enjoyed her presence despite their vastly different musical tastes. "She always pulls through. She always does." Lyra muttered. "I just wish I knew more about her. She just feels so ....distant sometimes." "I'm sure she has her reasons." "I just wish I knew her." Lyra said with frustration lining her voice. "Sometimes it feels as if our friendship is a lie." "She cares about you, she really does." Vinyl Scratch sighed. "This whole Anon-A-Miss thing is probably just weighing on her." "Anon-A-Miss is the whole reason this whole fundraiser was created." Lyra scoffed. "If only Sunset Shimmer would just come clean ...." Sunset clenched her fist at that statement but took in a deep breath and withheld the gates of her anger as she continued listening in on their conversation. "Who is the mystery sponsor of this fundraiser anyways?" Lyra scoffed. "Sunset must have pissed off someone quite powerful." "Only Octavia's mother knows. However, she will make an appearance today." Vinyl explained. Sunset raised an eyebrow as Lyra grabbed a couple of cupcakes and cookies before placing them onto a plate. The two girls began to walk off towards the stage, and after they made their way some distance, Sunset began to follow them. She focused her attention on their conversation. She activated Sarah Pezzini's unique Witchblade power which allowed her hearing and eyesight to sharpen. "I hope this is enough for Octavia." Lyra muttered. "I am more worried about smuggling it past her mother." Vinyl admitted. "That's something I am good at." Lyra said smugly. Sunset watched the two as they made their way up backstage. She was about to follow them until a certain figure caught her eye. She looked over to see Pinkie Pie sitting at one of the tables under a large chandelier that looked to have been hastily placed there. The girl had her hands clamped together nervously, and her eyes seemed to be unfocused. However, the main thing Sunset was focused on was how she was supposed to have left a long time ago. She began to make her way towards Pinkie until a hand grabbed her by the shoulder. "Hey, hey, hey. No no. I need her there." Aria's voice whispered into her ear. Sunset immediately turned around and pushed Aria back, who simply raised her hands into the air. "Good to see you too." Aria snorted. "What are you doing here?" Sunset hissed. "I was following some leads and found a lead that led here." Aria shrugged. "So you were following me?" "I am INSULTED that you would think so low of me." Aria gasped mockingly. "Yeah, a little. However, I ended up here because anything my sister sets up is usually a ploy or a front for something else." "Your sister set this whole event up?" Sunset hissed. Aria shrugged. "Yeah. She sponsors many events. However, she always held her cards close to her chest." Aria looked around the entire area. "But this one ....set up after Anon-A-Miss, right after the Wendigo's appearance? Not a coincidence." "Bon Bon confirmed that one will appear today." Sunset muttered. "Not surprised." Aria snorted. "Maybe that girl was some use after all. But right now, I am tracking someone else down." "And who is that?" "Someone that goes by the name of Tora No Shi." Aria explained. "Very deadly until she died." "So she doesn't sound like a problem anymore." "That is where you are wrong. She is very much a problem because her daughter thought it prudent to take up the mantle." Aria let out a small sigh. "Anyways, hold onto your pretty head." Aria smiled as she gave Sunset a small pat on her head. Sunset brushed the woman's hand away and turned her attention back to Pinkie Pie. "What is she doing here?" Sunset hissed. Aria shrugged. "Enjoying the view?" "I am serious." Aria let out a small sigh. "Pinkie will be safe. Don't get your panties in a twist." "She's leaving now." Sunset hissed as she pushed Aria to the side. The woman threw her hands up in the air before rolling her eyes and walking towards one of the tables in front of the stage. Sunset made her way towards Pinkie's table and sat next to the girl who was twiddling her finger. Pinkie turned towards Sunset with a raised eyebrow and asked, "Hello there. Who are you?" As Sunset sat in her seat. "Pinkie, it's me." Sunset hissed. Pinkie's eyes widened in realization as Sunset leaned forward toward the table. "Sunset? What are you doing here?" She whispered. "Dealing with Anon-A-Miss. What are you doing here? Why aren't you back home?" "I was distributing the desserts with Mrs. Cake silly." Pinkie smiled nervously. Sunset gestured towards the snack tables, which were fully stocked with all the different sugary snacks that were known to man. "Jobs done. Go home now. It's dangerous here." Pinkie pursed her lips nervously as she looked around the gym. "I can't." She whispered. "Why not?" Sunset hissed. Before Pinkie could answer, the sound of a cello echoed throughout the gym. Sunset turned her attention toward the stage and saw the curtains opening, revealing Octavia playing her cello. Principal Celestia and Vice-principal Luna stood at the front of the stage. Behind them stood a police officer who had tangelo skin that Sunset did not recognize. "Hello, everyone. I would like to thank all of you for coming here to help bring awareness for bullying on campus." Principal Celestia began. Sunset rolled her eyes as she began to tune out the rest of the opening speech. She looked over to see Aria, who had her legs resting on the table. She had a disinterested look on her face and was staring at the stage. She then looked around and caught a glimpse of Gilda, who was sitting nervously with a police officer looking over her shoulder. "Sunset, there is a problem." Bon Bon suddenly spoke through the earpiece. "What is it now?" "No ....not now." Bon Bon cursed before the earpiece began to static. "Bon Bon?" Sunset hissed silently. "Is everything alright?" Pinkie asked, concerned. "Yeah yeah," Sunset nodded at Pinkie before pressing her earpiece again. "Bon Bon, come in." "..... and the guest of honor here today is none other than Ninkasi! Our first speaker for today!" Celestia suddenly finished her speech. Sunset felt her blood go cold as her surroundings went silent. She turned towards the stage to see an orange, very round woman walk up to the microphone. As she stared at Ninkasi, the woman stared back at her. Their eyes locked, and in the brief second, Ninkasi's expression turned from shock all the way to rage. There was a second of silence as everyone in the gym stood still awkwardly. "Ummm, Ninkasi? Is everything ...." Celestia began before the snapping of metal echoed out. }}}SUNSET MOVE!{{{ Sunset felt her senses return to her and looked up to see the chandelier falling down towards her and Pinkie. In a split-second reaction, she kicked her foot out, pushing Pinkie out of the way just before the metal piece fell onto her, pinning her to the floor. She let out a cry of pain as the metal barbs of the decoration stabbed into her chest, stomach, and legs. "Sunset!" Pinkie cried out as she rushed by Sunset's side. "Someone call the ambulance!" Somebody else cried out as Aria walked by Sunset's side. "Who puts a chandelier in a school gym?" Sunset coughed out along with blood. "It was actually my idea." Aria shrugged. "You know, the mayor and her girlfriend were supposed to sit in the seat under here alongside Adagio before she was ...." Aria's eyes suddenly looked up at the railings that hung from the ceiling. "Duck." "What?" Was all Pinkie could get out before Aria suddenly grabbed the girl by the head and pushed her onto the floor forcibly, just in time as well, as a bullet fired past just where her head was seconds earlier. "Take cover, you two. I need to go discipline someone." Aria smiled as she yanked a piece of metal from the broken chandelier. Pinkie desperately tried to pull the Chandelier off while Sunset turned her attention to the stage, where Ninkasi looked around the entire gym. "Ninkasi!" Sunset roared. Ninkasi turned her attention towards Sunset and scowled. "Fuck it. Plan B." The orange-skinned woman's hands suddenly glowed with energy before she slammed both into the ground. The gym began to shake as panicked attendees rushed towards the exits, only to find all of them locked. A couple tried to open the windows, only to find each of them locked. Police officers ran out into the middle of the gym with their weapons raised towards Ninkasi. "Hands above your head!" The police officer behind Ninkasi ordered while he pushed Celestia and Luna behind him. "Oh, Spearhead, ever the obedient lapdog." Ninkasi sighed as she looked over her shoulder at Spearhead. "Save it, Ninkasi. You're under arrest for murder, cannibalism, and human trafficking." "Let me ask you, officer, do you really think you've got me trapped?" Ninkasi scowled. "Let me tell you that I know I have you trapped." Spearhead scoffed. "You're surrounded." Ninkasi rolled her eyes and slowly raised her hands up. "Fine then, you got me." As the woman raised her hands into the air though, Sunset saw that her fingers were pressed together. "Don't move," Spearhead ordered as he slowly walked up to the woman. "Oh, don't worry, I won't," Ninkasi smirked. "But tell that to everyone else." Sunset felt a strong magic pulse throughout the entire gym and immediately knew something was wrong. Ninkasi was beginning to lose parts of her body mass as her fingers began to give off a small orange hue. She activated the Witchblade and felt a jolt of energy course throughout her body as metallic armor covered her from head to toe. Pinkie backed away in shock as Sunset pushed the Chandelier up off her body. }}}The Wendigo is about to cast a spell!{{{ 'I am aware of that!' "Sunset!" Gilda yelled as the girl ran over towards Sunset. "Everyone get down!" Sunset shouted as Ninkasi snapped her fingers, causing a wave of energy to pulse out throughout the gym. Gilda was knocked onto her back and slid along the floor alongside Pinkie Pie into the gym wall. Aria and a masked woman fell to the ground with a loud thud while sunset was thrown onto a table, which caused the confectionaries to fall over her. Sunset wiped the dough and cream off her face as she slowly tried to get up onto her feet. She looked around and saw that many cops were also knocked onto the back. They were getting up; however, the rest of the attendees were lying on the ground, motionless. Spearhead got up quickly and unloaded his pistol at Ninkasi, with the gunshots echoing throughout the gym. Ninkasi simply raised her arm and blocked all the shots directed at her. "What have you done!" Spearhead roared. Ninkasi simply smiled. "I haven't done anything yet." }}}Sunset, multiple hostile entities are arising. {{{ ''Where?' }}}Everywhere.{{{ Sunset felt confused for a second before she noticed that one of the attendees was beginning to stir. A police officer walked up to the person and jostled them a bit. "Hello, sir? Are you alright?" The officer asked. The man on the ground never answered and instead pounced on the officer, digging his teeth into the man's neck. The officer cried out in pain and shock as other attendees began to stir and let out frenzied roars. They began to tear each other apart, targeting everyone. The other police officers in the room began to discharge their weapons as they were swarmed with ravenous crowds. Spearhead turned around and walked to the backstage area, leaving Ninkasi alone at the edge. "This was supposed to be a simple endeavor!" Ninkasi roared. "But you just had to butt into business yet again, didn't you, Sunset Shimmer!" Sunset Shimmer got up off the ground just as one of the attendees grabbed her by the arm and bit into it, finding only metal. She looked around and found Gilda with her spear fending off three people while pushing Pinkie behind her. Pinkie's clothes and hair were covered in frosting, with a small circular tray stuck on her back. Sunset pushed through the crazed attendees and made her way to Gilda just in time to pull a growling man off the girl. She slammed her fist into the man's face, knocking him to the ground. "What the hell is going on!?" Gilda asked. "It's some sort of spell." Sunset answered as she pushed off a woman who frantically tried to take a bite into her neck. "Where the hell is Bon Bon and Aria?!" She roared. Her question was immediately answered as the masked woman from before suddenly plowed into her. Sunset was thrown across the flood as the woman aimed a pistol at Pinkie. Before her gun could fire, Aria tackled the woman to the ground before wailing at the assassin. The woman blocked Aria's attack and growled, "Nottingham." "The Tora No Shi title fits your mother better." Aria snarked before she was kicked off. Tora No Shi managed to get up off the ground, only for Aria to throw a sharp, broken metal pole into the woman's side. Tora stumbled forward before Aria rushed toward her yet again. Sunset got up on her feet and looked back to the stage to see Ninkasi with her hands out and a familiar green mist flowing into her. The woman's body began to grow and slowly morph with more magical energy, beginning to concentrate within her. "Gilda! Get Pinkie out of here!" Sunset snapped. "How? The entire place is locked down with cannibals!" "Find a way!" Sunset shouted as she dashed towards Ninkasi. She pushed past the ravenous mob, manifesting a shield on her left arm as they clawed at her body, teeth gnashing as they tried to rip her flesh off. The Witchblade's armor stretched all over her body, not bothering with the initial bikini armor stage, making it so that the possessed attendees could bite nothing but metal. Sunset managed to kick one of the attendees off a police officer, allowing him to get up off the ground and reach his pistol. Sunset finally reached the stage and hurtled herself forward. Ninkasi barely had time to react as Sunset pushed herself off the edge of the stage and flung herself up into the woman's face, interrupting her from siphoning any more power. "If it isn't the Witchblade." Ninkasi sneered. "You're no Sunset Shimmer, but you'll do." "I can see you haven't gotten smarter." Sunset scoffed. "You were lucky last time." Ninkasi grinned. "And now ....I no longer have to hide." Ninkasi roared as her form transformed into a large hulking figure with a large mouth within her stomach area. The second mouth gnashed and roared before Ninkasi reached in and, with a gluttonous chortle, ripped a mace out of it. The mace was bronze colored, with sharp blades along the center and a spike at the very end. Orange ooze dripped from it as it scraped against the floor. }}}Be careful of her mouth Sunset! If you are sucked in, it will rip your body to shreds! {{{ 'Fun. Any tips on how to beat her?' }}}Don't get hit.{{{ 'How helpful.' "I'm going to enjoy pummeling you into a pulp!" Ninkasi roared as she stormed forward, throwing her entire weight at Sunset as she swung her mace. Sunset lifted up her shield just in time, but she felt the full force slam into her. She was quickly knocked off the stage and stumbled onto the floor below. }}}You can't attack her head on!{{{ ' I am aware of that!' Sunset grit her teeth and rolled to the side as Ninkasi jumped towards Sunset. The woman slammed her mace into the floor, causing it to crack under the force. Sunset quickly jumped up on her feet and manifested two blades to stick out from her arms. She stabbed them into Ninkasi's sides, causing the woman to roar in anger. She was pushed off into the ground right into a possessed attendee who immediately bit her in the neck. Sunset let out a cry of pain before throwing the person off and slamming her fist into their face. Ninkasi marched towards her but was jumped by two possessed individuals, who she swatted away using her mace. Sunset stretched out her hands and shot out two plumes of fire at the woman, which caught her by surprise. Ninkasi raised her arms to block the flames before Sunset created two cannons on the top of her forearm. She aimed it at the Wendigo and fired two shells into their skull. The wendigo let out a roar of anger as she swung her mace violently in the area around her. Sunset jumped out of the way, but as she did, she noticed that the Wendigos arm was slowly healing from her flames. However, from the injuries that were still present, she could see how badly her attack had harmed the demon. "Miserable creature! You'll die screaming!" Ninkasi roared as the mouth in her stomach opened. The mouth let out a low rumble before it began to suck Sunset and everything around her toward sit. As objects entered the maw, Sunset saw them slowly disintegrate until they were nothing but dust. She managed to stop herself from entering the maw by gripping the jaws of the maw and pushing away from it. "There you are!" Ninkasi roared as she grabbed Sunset by the neck. The woman pushed sunset towards the gaping maw in her stomach. "Don't worry, I heard it's quick!" Sunset grit her teeth as she pushed away from Ninkasi's ravenous stomach. Her mind raced with ideas on how to get out of this situation until her thoughts were interrupted by a loud cry. "Hey ugly!" A familiar voice cried out. Sunset looked over to see Gilda rush towards them with her spear in hand. She stabbed the spear into Ninkasi's back, causing the woman to roar in pain. The woman relaxed her grip enough to give Sunset the opening to push away. She then focused fires as hot as she could manage into her hand before throwing the inferno into Ninkasi's stomach. The Wendigo screeched this time as it clawed at their stomach. Ninkasi flailed around as they desperately gripped their stomach. Their form began to noticeably shrink as their form began to dissolve, with energy beginning to dissipate out from their skin. "Sunset!" Pinkie cried out as she ran over towards her. "What are you still doing here?!" Sunset snapped. "The shield is covering the entire area like Bon Bon said." Gilda explained. "We're trapped with ugly here until Bon Bon decides to pull the stupid trap!" The girl shouted. Their conversation was then rudely interrupted as Spearhead jumped down from the stage with Celestia and Luna behind him. The two sisters were carrying a student each. When they ran past, Sunset saw that they were carrying Vinyl and Lyra, who both had bite marks all over them with torn flesh. "Lyra?" Sunset muttered before she was interrupted by a loud roar. She turned towards the stage to see Octavia, now completely frenzied with blood splattered over her mouth and fingers. The cellist leaped from the stage towards the crowd after Celestia. Sunset dashed forward in an attempt to intercept the girl but was suddenly grabbed by the shoulder. She was thrown into the ground and was barely able to get back to her senses to see a mace swinging down at her head. She rolled out of the way into the loving jaws of Ninkasis's stomach maw, which latched onto her right arm. Sunset let out a cry of pain as the sensation of her arm getting torn to shreds, burnt, and dissolved all occurred at once. "Sunset!" Gilda shouted as she dashed towards them, only to be blocked by several possessed attendees. She swung her spear around her, cutting a couple of them down, only to be swarmed by more. Sunset saw Pinkie dash through the group as Gilda swung her spear, knocking a couple down. "You've been a thorn in my side for far too long, Witchblade! Time to die!" Ninkasi laughed. "Get away from her you meanie!" Pinkie shouted as she broke a tray over Ninkasi's head. Ninkasi immediately stretched out and grabbed the girl by the throat. "A two-for-one deal!" Ninkasi laughed, her head now healed from Sunset's shot. The wendigo was noticeably smaller but still large enough to be a cause for concern. "It must be lucky day. Don't worry, I'll make sure to savor you nice and slow." }}}Sunset, my armor can only hold off the Wendigo's magic from dissolving your arm for so long!{{{ Sunset tried to pull her other arm out only to find it pinned between her side and the ground as Ninkasi pushed her down. With little choice left, she began to concentrate magic into the hand that was currently inside of Ninkasi's maw. She wasn't sure what would happen if she discharged a large inferno within the demon, but she didn't see any other option. Before she could discharge the flames, she noticed Pinkie was beginning to glow. "Let go of HER!" Pinkie shouted. She grabbed a fistful of frosting that was in her hair, which began to glow along with her fists. Pinkie threw the fist full of frosting down at the Wendigo, which detonated immediately upon contact, blowing a chunk of its head off along with its eyes. The demon let out a cry of pain and recoiled a bit. This allowed Sunset to free her other arm from under her. She then immediately blasted the Wendigo with fire from the Witchblade yet again. This time, it did more damage as it engulfed the demon, causing its skin to charr and peel off. "Witchblade!" The demon roared as its maw opened and began to inhale everything around it. Sunset created claws out from her hand and latched onto the ground to prevent herself from getting sucked in. She grabbed Pinkie and watched as tables, platters, and people were sucked into Ninkasi's maw. The demon began to grow in mass the more it consumed and was starting to return back to its original power. "Pinkie!" Sunset shouted from the entire commotion. Pinkie looked down at the Wendigo and then back at Sunset before nodding. She took a handful of frosting which began to glow a bright pink. "Open wide, you meanie!" Pinkie tossed the frosting down at the Wendigo's maw. A split second passed as the frosting entered the Wendigo's stomach. Sunset almost thought it didn't work before a large pink explosion erupted from the demon's maw. Ninkasi let out a fading cry as she stumbled back and fell onto the ground. Sunset fell to the ground as the suctioning halted. She let out a relieved sigh until she saw Ninkasi begin to get back up. Her skin began to lose its orange color and started to transform into a light pinkish color instead. "Does that monster ever stay down?" Gilda said as she ran by their side, her spear dripping with blood. Sunset started to stand up along with Ninkasi, whose expression was now wrathful. The woman's facial and bodily features were still twisted from the magic, but the maw in her stomach was now gone. She was gripping her stomach and was trembling. Sunset raised her hands up, ready for another round, until she looked into the woman's light purple eyes. "Berry?" Sunset asked as she lowered her fists. The woman froze as the two stared at each other. Sunset saw Berry Punch's body peek out from Ninkasi's as the demon's form slowly began to melt from the girl's body. Berry clenched her fist and took a step forward right before the floor began to shake. "This better be Bon Bon's doing!" Gilda shouted as she knocked one of the possessed attendees to the side with the blunt end of her spear. "Something isn't right." Sunset muttered as she felt magic began to dissipate from the floor. "This is an anti-magic sigil! Anyone with magic or affected by magic is about to disintegrate! }}}It is about to activate!{{{ 'Where?' Sunset quickly got her answer as a large light erupted from the floorboards. Instinctively, Sunset pushed her hands down and channeled magic through her body into her palms. She felt the force push up from the ground as she pushed the explosion back. "Gilda! Get out of here!" Sunset shouted. "The shield is still up!" Gilda exclaimed. Sunset looked over at Ninkasi, who was looking nervously down at the floorboards as well. In the corner of her eyes, she saw Aria holding Tora No Shi in a headlock, looking curiously at the light below her as Tora No Shi struggled in her grip. 'Does magic here work similar to the one in my world?' }}}Similar enough.{{{ 'Than I hope this works.' Sunset looked up at Pinkie and Gilda and shouted, "Get down!" as she forced down a counterspell. As her counterspell collided with the sigil, the two conflicting magics began to fight, sending shards of magic all over the area. The gym began to fall around her, and she could hear the magic walls around the room beginning to fall. However, as she pushed the counterspell down through the floorboards, she heard a distant hiss from the ground under her. She barely had time to process what was happening until the floor erupted, and everything went black. Witchblade Sunset let out a shaky cough when she finally woke up. A heavy weight pushed against her body which she pushed off. The sound of sirens echoed out in the air as soft snowflakes floated down from the sky. Sunset looked up in shock and saw that the gym's roof had been completely blown off. A cold breeze brushed by her, causing her to shiver, and when she looked down, she saw that her Witchblade form had been reduced to the bikini armor state. She slowly got up off the ground with a loud groan before looking around her surroundings. However, two figures lying in the rubble caught her attention. A pink-haired girl and a brown coat stuck out from the rubble. "Gilda. Pinkie." Sunset gasped as she stumbled forward. As she did, she heard loud crunching behind her. She turned around immediately only to see Aria, who was covered in soot, approaching her. "Hey Sunset. Have you seen an assassin around here?" Aria wiped her mouth. "I appear to have lost one." "Not yet." Sunset turned back towards Pinkie and Gilda and pulled the two out of the rubble. Pinkie had gashes all over her body and was bleeding profusely. There were several shrapnel embedded in her skin and torso. Gilda had large pieces of debris stabbed through her stomach. The girl's breathing was shallow and weak, and she had purple coloration around her wounds. [color=#be434]"We need to get them to a hospital or else they will both bleed out" }}}We can heal them both.{{{ "Really? How?" }}}Press your hand on them, and focus. Channel your magic and intent the same way you do with our powers.{{{ Sunset quickly pressed her hands onto Pinkie's body and focused her magic on the girl's body. She felt the girl began to heat up and watched as her wounds began to close. Sunset let out a sigh of relief before turning to Gilda. She ripped the debris that was stuck in the girl and pushed her magic through Gilda, the same way she did with Pinkie. "You should probably now focus on yourself." Aria pointed down at Sunset's body. Sunset, confused, looked down and saw what Aria was talking about. There was a huge chunk of her side missing, with her insides showing. "We need to get these two to safety first." Sunset gasped as she lifted Gilda up against a large broken table. Aria rolled her eyes but grabbed Pinkie and laid the girl . "You really need to start taking care of yourself better." "I'll be more careful when I need to." Sunset muttered, but she softly pressed her hand against her side and forced magic into her body. The warmth that flowed through her was weak, but it was enough. She felt the gash in her chest begin to heal. "Where is Berry Punch?" Sunset whispered. "Probably dead." Aria answered behind her. "That was an Anti-Magic bomb. Anything with magic or affected by it would immediately degrade. The more magic one has ..." "The more they are affected." Sunset finished. "I canceled it out though." "It wasn't a spell girl. It was a device created by SMILE to destroy magical creatures that they deemed a threat." Aria let out a sigh. "You're lucky it didn't backfire and create a bigger explosion." Aria shrugged her shoulder. "The Witchblade shielded you from most of the damage since it can't be destroyed, not so much for the Wendigo." "Bon Bon." Sunset hissed. "Yeah, she's much more ruthless than I thought." Aria snorted before she suddenly snapped her head to the side. }}}Sunset, to your right!{{{ Sunset turned just in time to see a mace hurtling through the air at her skull. She was able to raise her arm and manifest a shield to block the weapon but was hurtled through the air and into the dirt ground below her. She looked up to see Berry Punch angrily approaching her, wrath in her eyes, with parts of Ninkasi still dotting her body. "You just couldn't stop, could you?!" Berry roared as she grabbed her mace off the ground. "You couldn't just lay down and DIE!" "Aria, take Gilda and Pinkie to safety!" "You sure you can handle her?" Aria asked as she picked up Pinkie and Gilda off the ground, one under each arm. "She's an old friend, just go!" Before Sunset could see Aria leave, she was forced to roll to the side as Berry Punch slammed her mace into the ground. Berry Punch swung at Sunset's head, forcing her to duck down. Berry Punch let out a roar as she threw all her force into her next swing, which was directed right at Sunset's head. Sunset managed to duck under the swing, and as Berry was recovering, she locked her arm around the girl's arm and lifted her up. She then threw Berry Punch into the ground with a loud crack, causing the earth to shudder. Berry let out a low growl as she jumped back onto her feet, mace tightly in hand. She lashed out at Sunset, who simply just jumped out of the way of her wild swings. "I should have known it was you! Only you would continuously screw me over!" "Berry, it doesn't have to be like this!" "We both know that isn't true!" Berry roared as she swung wildly at Sunset. Sunset dodged out of the way of the girl's strikes and tried to concentrate her mind on manifesting a spear or a weapon but found it difficult to do so. She tried to maintain her distance from Berry but was slowly losing ground as the girl's strikes swung nearer to Sunset's head. 'I need a weapon now!' Sunset said mentally. }}}The explosion silenced part of my form! I need a moment!{{{ Sunset grit her teeth as she watches Berry Punch raise her mace up, aimed right down at her. She only had a shield and couldn't keep defending herself against Berry. She didn't want to hurt the girl, but what was in front of her was more akin to a feral animal than a person. As the mace swung down at her, Sunset felt a fire roar inside of her. Her instincts took over, and in a single motion, she jumped forward into Berry. She slammed her body into the girl's shoulder, interrupting the girl's attack. Then, as swift as the wind, she put all her force into her fist and struck Berry's face with all her might. The girl's head snapped back, and as it did, Sunset grabbed Berry by the arm and twisted the mace out of her hand. Berry stumbled back in an attempt to regain her balance. However, she never got the chance as Sunset gripped Berry's mace and, with a single swing, slammed it into the girl's skull. Berry fell backward with a loud cry and thud. She tried to sit up, only to see that Sunset was immediately on top of her, mace in hand. Sunset raised her arm up and struck downwards at Berry. Berry raised her hand up to cover her face and braced for the impact as the mace swung down at her. A loud crack echoed throughout the gym as Sunset slammed the mace down right onto its target. Berry let out a loud gasp before shakily looking over at the slab of concrete next to her head where Ninkasi's mace was now embedded. Sunset let out a shaky breath as she looked down at Berry, whose body had finally returned back to normal, as vestiges of the demon Ninkasi slowly faded away. "Why?" Sunset hissed. "You knew all along." Berry let out a weak laugh as she tried to sit up to no avail. "What do you think?" The girl scoffed. "You abandoned me. You abandoned all of us!" "You're the one who decided to be possessed by the Wendigo!" "Because of you!" Berry roared. "Did you think what would happen when you joined the Rainbooms?!" The girl snapped. "Did it ever cross your selfish brain what happened to your previous partners in crime?!" "I did it to change! To be better!" "You haven't changed a bit." Berry sneered as Sunset began to pace in front of the girl. "You're the same selfish, egotistical Sunset Shimmer before the Fall Formal." Sunset opened her mouth and looked for what to say but couldn't find anything from the top of her head. "I just wanted to make amends with the people I hurt. To be friends." "I was your friend!" Berry roared as she beat her chest in anger. "But you always thought yourself better than everyone else. A heart of a coward and a traitor!" "What we were doing was wrong!" "As if you care!" Berry scoffed. "You gave up everything for what? The illusion of friends? For people who would turn their backs on you at a moment's notice?!" "Because of you! Because of Anon-A-Miss!" "Anon-A-Miss was just an excuse for them to exclude you!" Berry roared. "They never considered you as one of them, and they never will!" Berry let out a weak chuckle. "People like us ....we can never change because, at the end of the day, we'll always be seen as a monster." "But it doesn't have to be this way." Sunset said as she knelt down in front of Berry. "Renounce the demon. I can help you, and we can help the school." Berry stared up at the sky above her through the hole in the ceiling. She let out a shaky sigh before shaking her head. "No. You forgot me like everyone else in this school." The girl said bitterly. "At least I die while being true to myself." Sunset stretched her hand over towards Berry. "'I won't forget you, not again." Sunset said softly. "Please Berry." Berry Punch eyed Sunset's hand, and the girl visibly hesitated. After a second passed, she brushed Sunset's hand aside and shakily sat up. Her body was back to her human form but noticeably more emaciated, as if she hadn't eaten in weeks. "No. I chose this for myself." Berry muttered. "Maybe you can change, but I can't." "I don't believe that." Sunset muttered. " Please, give it a chance, at least." Berry Punch let out a sigh as the girl looked away from Sunset out the window, which was shattered into tiny pieces. Distant sirens could be heard getting louder outside of the school building. "And get burned?" Berry muttered. "No, not again." Sunset lowered her hand somberly before Berry spoke again. "I can still feel the Wendigo within me, but she's dormant." Berry sighed. "After this, I'm pretty much screwed anyways." "What do you mean?" "This was my attempt to climb the ranks. After this, the other Wendigos will target me." Berry answered. "I can protect you, Berry," Sunset promised as she knelt down beside the girl. "I just need to know who Anon-A-Miss is. " "And why would I trust you of all people?" Berry spat out. "Do you really want to watch the city get ripped apart?" Sunset whispered. She saw the other girl hesitate, so she continued to push. "The Berry I knew was reckless and was thick-headed, but there was always a part of her that cared. I know that Berry is still there, somewhere." Berry Punch looked away, and after a couple of seconds of silence, she turned towards Sunset. The girl then opened her mouth to speak. Before a single word left her mouth, a loud gunshot echoed throughout the room. A bullet pierced the girl's skull, silencing her forever. Sunset tried to pull Berry Punch away, but she was too late as the girl's body lay limp against the ground. Sunset knelt there silently as she held Berry's body in her hands. As she tried to process the sudden death of Berry, she felt her instincts fire up. She ducked her head just in time as a blade swung right where her neck used to be. Sunset rolled away as the assailant stabbed their blade down where she was just sitting. "Witchblade, ever the thorn in my side." Tora No Shi hissed, who immediately snapped her gun up before rapidly firing her pistol. "You'll pay for that!" Sunset roared as she manifested a shield back on her arm to block the gunshots. "Get in line!" Tora No Shi laughed as she dashed forward and aimed her blade at Sunset's neck. Sunset managed to twist her body and throw her weight into swinging her shield into the force of the assassin's attack. "Who hired you?" Sunset said coldly as she pushed the assassin back. Tora No Shi scoffed and turned towards Berry Punch. "She did." The assassin shook her head mockingly. "However, couldn't take the chance of her spilling the details about Anon-A-Miss. Already screwed up this mission and didn't really want to get into any more trouble." Sunset pushed the assassin's blade away before kicking the woman back. Tora No Shi slid backward and raised her blade back up to strike. However, their fight was interrupted as voices approached them with flashlights shining down the hallway. Tora No Shi let out a small scoff before taking out a small circular device in her sword hand. "Till next time, Witchblade!" Tora No Shi roared. "Tora No Shi!" A voice from the hallway roared. Before Sunset could rush forward to capture the assassin, the woman threw the device down, causing a loud light to erupt from a sudden explosion. Sunset wasn't able to look away in time and was blinded. She continued forward but stumbled before falling over. When her vision returned, she looked up to see Tora No Shi quickly jumping out of the window. A group of police officers ran to block the assassin, only to be quickly cut down, blood splattering over the ground before they could even process what was going on. Sunset began to get up off the ground, only to be surrounded by cops, all aiming their weapons at her. "Freeze, CCPD!" One of them roared. }}}We need to go now!"{{{ Sunset felt a strong fire rage within her as she summoned out her metallic wings, using them to knock a couple of the officers back. The rest were so stunned that it gave her a window of opportunity to jump up through the hole in the gym room. Gunshots ran out behind her as she flew away with bullets flying past her. She made her way down the neighborhood, making sure to keep above the clouds so she wasn't spotted. As she flew over the clouds, she quickly spotted her apartment and made her way down into it. Sunset entered through her apartment window quietly and made her way toward her bed with shaky breaths. As she sat down, she felt a faint buzzing within her. }}}Your communication device is ringing.{{{ Sunset reached into her armor metallic pockets and took out her phone. She looked down and saw that it was none other than Bon Bon. With grit teeth, she answered the phone and lifted it up to her ear. "You survived, I see." Bon Bon said from the other side. "You set me up. You set us all up." "The demon is dead, isn't it?" Bon Bon scoffed. "And besides, the machine wasn't supposed to blow up. I suspect you had something to do with it." "You were willing to sacrifice everyone in that room. Everyone in that room was affected by the spell from Ninkasi." Sunset hissed. "Sacrifice Sunset. Hard choices need to be made. I chose what was best for the greater good." "Greater good for who?" "For everyone." Bon Bon growled from the other end of the phone. "I don't expect you to understand. I'll see you at school tomorrow." "You-" Sunset growled but wasn't able to get another word in as Bon Bon handed up the phone. Sunset threw her phone angrily on her couch before storming over toward her evidence board. She took off an old photo of her before the fall formal. It was when she was still working with Berry Punch along with her other partners. Back then, she never really considered the girl a friend but rather a business acquaintance. Despite their cold relationship, she never would have wished such a fate on the girl. She looked down at the photo and looked at the smiling faces of Snips, Snails, and Diamond Tiara. Sunset hadn't caught up with them after the fall formal. As she clenched her fist, a somber feeling washed over her as she thought back to what Berry Punch had said and reflected on the scorn Bon Bon looked at her with. For the first time in a long while, she reflected back and wondered if she truly had genuinely changed after all. After the fall formal, what happened to the people she left behind? What happened to the Sunset Shimmer she pushed away? Author's Note I am really not that happy with this arc. This was really difficult to wrap up with so many moving parts. After finishing this chapter, I reflected on my writing style and realized that I have the tendency to introduce way too many elements in the previous chapters and that I need to start resolving some of the plot points sooner or later. This chapter was really hard to write. While writing it, I realized how poorly I had planned it. The themes, the characters, and the entire plot just got tangled up and messy. It was hard to connect all of them in a satisfying way that didn't feel contrived. This went through so many changes, and no matter what I altered, I just wasn't happy with it. However, I decided to just wrap it up, finish up the arc, and get it out there. The reason is that even if the arc is imperfect, at least it exists, which is better than an unpublished perfect one. To smooth out the process in writing, though, I am going to try to outline a plan to continue the story and how to resolve it. It is going to take a while, but in order to avoid any more headaches, this is definitely a necessity. I am definitely going to edit some of these chapters in the next few months and try to clean up the plot as much as I can, but it might be a bit slow as I start school again. Thank you for being patient with me and being on this writing journey as I practice my writing. If you have any advice on how to efficiently plot a story, feel free to share it with me because heaven knows I need it.
(Case 1-1: The Masked Woman): The WitchbladeDarkness was all Sunset could see. The black void of nothingness enveloped her as all her memories rushed through her mind. She was dying, she knew that to be the case. She wondered if her former friends would weep for her when she finally passed on. Where would she go into the afterlife, and what did it look like? Would she ever be able to see her friends again? The closest thing she knew to an afterlife …well more like an underworld, was the realm of Tartarus. It was a prison, where the worst creatures in Equestria would go to rot, imprisoned until they died. It was said that Tartarus was the lowest layer of the underworld, and whoever died in that prison, stayed there forever. However, the human universe was different, there was different gods and deities. There was the greek gods, the Egyptian gods, and the christans ones. Was she going to be judged by them, and her eternal fate placed into their hands? She wouldn’t blame them if she was sent to whatever their version of Tartarus was. She had done many things she wasn’t proud of during her life. Treating other ponies around her like dirt when she was Celestia’s student, running off into another world, tormenting and entire school. At first she thought she had repented, but after Anon-A-Miss, she wasn’t so sure anymore. Did anything she did matter, or was she going to suffer for his sins for all eternity? ‘Can an entire life of sin be erased by a couple good deeds?’ Sunset asked herself. There was no answer from the void she found herself floating in. She then remembered she at least saved Gilda and helped Pinkie get to safety …even though it was her who kind of dragged them into danger. Her obsession with finding Anon-A-Miss had not only endangered the life of other students, it had also gotten her killed. Though part of her wanted to find out who Anon-A-Miss to clear her name, another part was just tired of the account tearing the school apart. ‘At least I tried. I helped Gilda and Pinkie survive my massive fuck up. I hope they tell the cops and take them down …and in the end …they believed I wasn’t Anon-A-Miss.’ Sunset smiled. ‘And Pinkie considered me her friend …I at least …I did things my way …’ }}}Are you sure are fine with things the way they are?{{{ A red light began to glow, parting away the darkness, reaching out towards sunset. ‘What do you mean?’ }}}After seeing all of that, are you okay with just letting them go? Those creatures to terrorize the entire area to their own pleasure? They will return for your friends, they are not the ones to give up.{{{ ‘I’m dying …what can I do …? My magic is completely gone as well …’ }}}If it is power you need, I can grant it. Your spirit is strong, and I choose you to be my bearer.{{{ ‘You can help me save them?’ }}}I can give you the power to destroy anything that threatens you and your friends. But I must warn you, the power I grant you is both a blessing and a curse. Many have wielded me, all faced hardships unimaginable to many. Can you handle the burden and tread the line between light and darkness?{{{ ‘I am no stranger to darkness …but I have finally had a taste of the light. I can’t lose it, not when I just have grasped it.’ }}}Then reach out for me.{{{ Sunset reached out with her right hand towards the glowing red light, but fell a cold hand pull her from behind. She grit her teeth and pushed, struggling against the wails and cries behind her, the despair, the wrath, the sorrow, the pride. She struggled forwards, her fingers brushing the red light. Just as she touched it, the hands lost their grip wailing as they dissipated into the darkness. She grabbed the red light causing it to shine brighter than ever before. It wrapped around her arm, and she could feel it envelop her. Her skin stung as power flowed through her veins, causing a feeling of ecstasy, excitement, adrenaline and power to fill her body. The darkness around her screamed with rage as it was parted away by light. Sunset lifted her hand and roared, banishing the darkness and causing even the light to recoil before- Witchblade Sunset sat up suddenly, gasping for air, finding herself back in her home. Her heart pounded in her chest as sweat trickled down all over her body. She looked at the window and saw the sun’s rays sneaking through the cracks. Her heart rate slowed down as she realized she was home and a feeling of relief washed over her. She looked down at her body and saw that she was nude, lifting the blankets to confirm this. She usually only did so during the summer, but wore pajamas during the winter due to lacking the fur coat she enjoyed as a pony. She shakily got out of her bed with shaky legs and wiped her forehead. “What the hell was that dream?” She muttered to herself as she walked to her desk. She looked down and saw that all the photos and newspaper clippings she had placed upon it yesterday was still there. “My obsession with Anon-A-Miss is really getting to me.” She grumbled. Looking at her wooden board, she stared at all the photos she had pinned upon it. She shook her head and let out a heavy sigh before stumbling over towards her lizards terrarium who simply cocked its head to the side. “Hey there Ray. Just a bad dream.” She muttered as she reached in. She paused when she realized a silver bracelet with a single ruby gemstone sat wrapped around her wrist. “The hell? When did I get this?” She looked around for a latch but wasn’t able to find one. She tried to pull it off her hand, but it refused to get off her hand. “How did I even get this on?” She muttered to herself. “Forget that …when did I buy this?” Sunset gave it one last tug before giving up and flopping her hands down. She looked around her room for her phone, but couldn’t find it anywhere. So she turned her attention to her alarm clock which read ‘8:30 AM’. “Fuck! I need to be at school thirty minutes ago!” Sunset panicked as she ran down the stairs, skipping every other steps until she reached the ground. She ran towards her closet and took out a set of clothes before making a mad dash to the bathroom. She made a stop at her fridge and took out a wrapped tart full of jam before running in. She tossed her clothes onto the rack as she grabbed her toothbrush and toothpaste. She turned on the water, not caring it being freezing cold as she shakily started to brush her teeth. She spit out the toothpaste when she finished before opening up her tart and stuffing it in her face while water ran down her face. When she felt she was done eating, she turned off the water and grabbed a towel to wipe herself down. Halfway through she decided ‘fuck it’ and threw the towel to the side, leaving herself half-wet with water. She ran out of the bathroom slowly putting on her clothes while making her way towards the front door right before it was immediately kicked open. “Sunset!” Sunset immediately screamed as she covered herself with to the best she could with her shirt and pants that were in her hands. “What the hell?!” She shrieked, before seeing principal Celestia run in, causing her rage to suddenly dip. “Sunset!” Principal Celestia suddenly rushed forwards, nearly crushing Sunset in a tight embrace. The woman let out sobs and hiccuped while speaking. “I thought you were … ‘hic’ …you’re alive I … ‘sob’ …oh god …” The woman sniffed. Principal Celestia was a complete wreck. Her hair was disheveled, there were bags under her eyes which were also bloodshot. Her clothes were wrinkled and was covered in dirt and grime, her face was stained with tears. “Can’t breath … ‘gasp’ ribsss!” Sunset gasped. “Sorry.” Principal Celestia sobbed as she let go of Sunset. “I’m just so happy you’re okay!” “What happened?” Sunset asked as she put on her shirt. “What do you mean?” “Pinkie ran up to the police crying, saying that you were going off into danger to save a kidnapped girl in a warehouse.” Celestia started while wiping her eyes. “The police got organized as fast as possible and was prepared for hostage negotiations…but when they got there, there was a huge explosion burning the half the place down.” Celestia let out a sob. “Then Gilda was teleported at the police station, falling in a heap and started rambling about how you were stabbed and shot to death.” The older woman wiped her eyes agian. “She was covered in your blood a-and …the police found your severed burnt arm there …” Sunset looked down at her two hands and confirmed that they were in fact still there. “Pinkie fainted when Gilda said you were stabbed through the heart and used the last of your magic to teleport her there.” Celestia continued. “She was crying the last time I saw her.” “I remember.” Sunset whispered. “I was chasing a lead for Anon-A-Miss …got involved in some sort of gang and followed them to a warehouse.” She muttered. “They found your bike there …” Celestia sniffed. “When they went into the warehouse and found your arm …” The woman dabbed her eyes with her sleeves. “All that blood a-and …we all assumed the worst especially since the area had went up in flames.” “I’m okay …was Gilda and Pinkie safe at least?” Sunset asked as she placed her hands on Celestia’s shoulder after seeing the woman was close to tears again. Celestia nodded. “I was called after Pinkie reported the incident to the police since I was labeled as your guardian. When I got there, Gilda teleported out of nowhere and landed on top of a cop car.” She took in a deep breath, her shaking starting to slow down a bit and seemingly finally able to keep her composure. “They are both okay and are currently with their families.” Sunset let out a sigh of relief, a very heavy weight finally removed from her shoulders. When she cast the spell, she was bleeding out, and she was worried about messing it up and accidentally teleporting Gilda over a river or into a road. “Thank Faust.” Sunset sighed. “Right now though …everyone is worried about you, and we need to get it cleared. The police has labeled you missing, but assuming that you’re deceased.” Celestia explained. “Everyone thinks you’re dead, especially after Gilda yelling it out to everyone in the station.” “Y-yeah sure.” Sunset nodded as she started to feel a bit nervous. She didn’t like to be around police since she technically wasn’t from this world. “There is a bit of an issue …I don’t have any papers …” Celestia gave off a soft smile which made her tired face a small bit brighter. “I had that taken care of a long time ago. Don’t worry about it.” Sunset let out a sigh before looking down at the clothes in her hands she was currently using to cover herself. “Well …I’m currently getting dressed so could you close the door and wait on the couch?” She asked, trying her best to not make the situation any more awkward. Celestia pressed her lips and stood up straight. “Yes …of course. Sorry …I rushed in when I heard you scream.” The woman turned around towards the front door and closed it. Sunset walked back to the bathroom and shut it behind her. She put her shirt and pants to the side before staring into the mirror. “It wasn’t a dream …” She muttered before looking down at the bracelet around her wrist. “What are you?” She muttered. She took in a deep breath before placing her hand over her heart and saw that there wasn’t even a sign that she was stabbed. She moved her hand towards her stomach and didn’t even see a mark where the bullet had pierced her. Her hands started to shake. “What happened to me?” She whispered. Witchblade Sunset sat nervously in the police station as she waited for the detective to come in and question them. Celestia made sure to tell the sergeant that Sunset was okay when they arrived. The girl felt uncomfortable as the sergeant grabbed both her arms and looked down at them with confusion. The police sergeant then made a comment about lousy forensics before leading them into a room where they were told an officer would arrive for questioning. “Don’t worry Sunset.” Celestia tried to reassure the girl. “They are here to help.” Sunset gave a small smile and felt herself relax a little as Celestia placed a gentle hand upon her shoulder. The door next to them opened right after as the detective walked in. He was a young man who wore a navy blue coat with his badge pinned on the left side of his chest. He approached Sunset and Celestia with a hand outstretched. “Morning. Shining Armor. Chief of police of Canterlot City.” He shook Celestia’s and Sunset’s hand, before taking a seat down in front of them. “I understand that you went through something traumatic …” Shining Armor started. “But we do need you to recall what happened that night to the best of your ability so we can confirm what Pinkie and Gilda saw.” The chief explained. “Of course …but as chief of police here, why are you questioning us?” Sunset asked. “The Mystery Murder case is a huge headache for the entire Canterlot City police department.” Shining Armor clicked his tongue. “I would normally let the regular officers handle these cases but …events recently have forced my hand.” “Why is the Mystery Murder case also being brought into this?” Celestia asked. “Well Gilda was kidnapped and brought to an area where many murders happened.” Shining Armor rubbed his chin and took in a sharp breath between his teeth. “Then the warehouse blew up. So we made some assumption and we are assuming this is connected.” “That is a fair point.” Sunset nodded. For the next few minutes she detailed everything that happened. She had to mention Anon-A-Miss since it was what roped her into the mess in the first place and how she did some investigating on her own. She mentioned Thor, or from what she heard, ‘Thorax’ being Gilda’s friend who had a hand in it. Continuing on, she then mentioned Gluttony and the drones around him, but left out all the supernatural parts of it. She concluded with her rescue of Gilda, her supposed death, and ended with her waking up back home. Shining Armor nodded the entire way through, taking notes as she went through her story. When she finished, he closed his notebook and let out a exasperated sigh, an expression of concern upon his face. “That is quite the story.” Shining Armor hissed. “It is missing all the monsters and demons part though from Gilda …but I guess that is to be expected, she was hysterical.” Sunset nodded, feeling bad for the girl. “Well, we all went through high emotions that day.” She shifted in her seat, also feeling bad for lying to the chief of police. However, she didn’t believe the man would believe her if she included the parts about demons and monsters in her story. “This is a bit concerning though.” Shining Armor’s eyes began to shift around as he brought his hand to his mouth. “ChangeData has good public relations and lawyers. Even now I have confirmed they had some part to this …it’ll be hard to investigate them.” He sighed. “Well, I’m sure you’ll figure something out.” Sunset nodded. “Before you go can I see your wounds?” Shining asked. Sunset hesitated, but finally lifted up her shirt and stood up as Shining glanced at her chest and stomach. “May I?” The chief asked. Sunset nodded her hand so the chief placed his hand upon her heart before moving down to her stomach and exerted pressure upon it. “Do you feel anything?” He asked. Sunset shook her head causing the chief to sigh. He sat back down in his seat. “Are you sure you were shot and stabbed through the heart?” Sunset nodded. “Those are fatals wounds. The blood loss alone …” Shining Armor muttered. “We matched the dried blood on the ground to you …and it matched …yet there is no wound. And your arm ….” The chief pointed out the fact Sunset still had both her limbs. “I’m as confused as you are.” Sunset shrugged before she sat back down. Shining Armor let out a sigh. “I’ll have to tell our forensics team to check again.” The chief then leaned forwards and placed his hands upon the table. “Since you are a witness, you will be guarded by policemen in case your assailants decide to pay you a small visit. They probably don’t like witnesses.” Shining remarked. “However …I don’t like the fact you live alone.” “She can live with me!” Celestia offered. “That works …” Shining pressed his limps together and looked to hesitate. After a second of thinking, the man finally finished his thought. “Would you mind taking in Gilda Grimshaw as well?” “Doesn’t she have her own home?” Celestia questioned. Shining Armor nodded. “Yes …as part of her inheritance after both her parents died in a car crash.” The chief nodded. “She lives alone, and it can be dangerous for her. It took some convincing, but she agreed that if we found a suitable host family for her, she’ll go.” “I nearly forgot that her parents were dead …” Celestia paused. “I can take her in as well.” She gave a small smile. “Perfect!” Shining Armor clapped his hands. “This way we won’t spread ourselves thin.” “How long will I have to be watched?” Sunset asked. Shining Armor paused. “Depends how long these murderers are at large. And since you are a major suspect …” He took in a sharp inhale. “Listen …all I’m saying is to prepare for the long haul.” “Oh …” Sunset looked down. She had nothing against living with Celestia, she was a nice woman and she quite liked the woman. However, she also liked her home since it was the first place she lived after she moved out of the warehouse she was squatting in when she first appeared in Canterlot City. “Think of it as an extended sleepover.” Celestia smiled as she hugged Sunset close. “Pretend I am your mother.” The woman gave a small chuckle. “Sure thing …” Sunset couldn’t help but smile a little as well. Shining Armor smiled before he started to flip through his notebook, giving a small window of silence for Sunset to think. She felt a bit uncomfortable leaving her house to go live with her principal, and that wasn’t mentioning rooming with Gilda. Though she didn’t have much beef with the girl, she wasn’t sure how things would turn out. Last time they saw each other, Sunset was being skewered and Gilda was about to be cut down next. “One last thing …this Anon-A-Miss …” The chief started. Sunset lost her train of thought and turned her attention towards the chief. Her heart skipping a beat since it hoped that the chief and the police had something that could help her detect who the user was. “Yes …” Celestia nodded somberly. She wrung her hands, and looked down. “I’ve been trying my best to track them down and contain the spread but …it’s hard when we can’t confiscate mobile devices.” The principal muttered. “I filed a police report, but other than that …not much has happened.” The chief nodded and let out sigh. “I’ll make sure to let our cyber crime department know about this.” He turned to look at Sunset. “Especially since it might be tied to the Mystery Murders.” He then looked down at his notebook and flipped through some pages, his eyebrows beginning to furrow. “But why would murders commit such a petty crime …and against you?” Sunset exhaled through her nose loudly, understanding the chief confusion. “I wish I knew. I am the main target after all.” Shining Armor nodded yet again. “I understand it is frustrating …but I must ask you to drop your private investigation into the matter and let the police handle it now.” The chief muttered. “What? Why?” Sunset leaned forwards. “I’ve gotten so close!” “Because now Anon-A-Miss might also be a murderer. And we don’t need vigilantes complicating the issue further.” The chief explained. The man put his hands up in front of him. “Okay listen …I promise you we will handle it. It is part of the Mystery Murders now so we will get onto it as soon as possible.” Sunset threw her hands up in frustration and sat back in her chair. She couldn’t help but scowl at the idea of handing the investigation over especially since the police did jack shit to help before. A soft hand upon her shoulder quelled some of her frustration however as Celestia leaned towards her. “Let the police handle it now.” The principal pleaded. “It’s to keep you safe.” Sunset relented and nodded. “I’ll drop it.” She sighed. Shining Armor smiled and stood up from the desk. “Very well. Before we go …is there anything else you want to add?” He asked. Sunset shook her head. “I’ve already said everything. After I got stabbed, I blacked out …I have nothing else.” Shining Armor nodded before he reached into his pocket and took out two cards. “My number. If you see anything that can help with the investigation …call me okay?” He handed them to Sunset and Celestia. They both nodded. “We will be sure to do that mister Armor.” Celestia smiled. Shining nodded at the two women. “This is the biggest lead we have so far. I have a feeling this is bigger than anything we had expected before.” A determined expression appeared upon his face. “And now that we have this new lead …I’m sure we can put an end to these once and for all …don’t you agree?” Sunset couldn’t help but smile as some hope filled her body. “I sure do chief.” Witchblade Sunset and Celestia went back to her apartment, where they started to pack essentials for her extended stay with Celestia. She was going to miss her small apartment and the comfort it had provided throughout the years. She packed all her clothes, took her pet lizard Ray, and other essentials. Once everything was packed and loaded in, they drove back to Celestia’s house. Before she got into the car, Sunset remembered about her bike. “Hey …whatever happened to my bike?” She asked. Celestia pressed her lips and Sunset felt like she wasn’t going to like the answer. “I’m sorry Sunset …but the explosion …it was too close to it …” The principal clicked her tongue, but Sunset already knew the answer. “Could anything be salvaged …?” She covered her eyes. “It was turned into metal slag along with the other cars in the area.” Celestia tisked. “I had to drive Gilda back home since her car was there as well.” The principal shook her head as she took out a photo. It was Sunset’s bike, but completely melted and dented nearly beyond recognition. Sunset felt her heart sink as she took the photo from her principal and clenched it in her hands. “I’m sorry. It is also part of evidence so I couldn’t take it with me.” “I quite liked that bike.” Sunset murmured as she stared at the photo of her beloved motorcycle. It had saved her life that night, and now it was completely ruined …and wouldn’t be able to save her again. “Was the first one I had when I moved into this world.” “To be honest …I never liked it. Felt it was too dangerous for a young girl like you.” Celestia admitted. The woman placed a hand on Sunset’s shoulder. “I can get you a new car if you would like.” She gave a warm smile. Sunset couldn’t help but feel better, however she had to push Celestia’s hand off. “It’s alright. I don’t want to be too much of a burden on you …I’ll just take the bus.” She rubbed the back of her head right before she was pulled by Celestia so the two were looking face to face. “It isn’t a burden if it makes you happy.” Celestia smiled before pulling the girl towards her into an embrace. Sunset was a bit stunned by this action, but felt the older woman start to sob, so she gave her a small pat on the back. “I don’t want to lose you again …” Celestia sniffed. Sunset closed her eyes. “I’ll be fine Principal Celestia. I won’t leave okay?” She reassured the older woman. “I promise I won’t get into anymore danger.” She whispered. Celestia pulled herself away, her face wet with tears. She wiped her eyes before whispering, “I’m sorry …it’s just …” She started, but Sunset placed her hand on the woman’s shoulder. “Don’t apologize.” Sunset’s face fell as she realized what the woman must have went through, thinking that she was dead the entire time. “It’ll be okay.” She had driven off towards a warehouse that exploded that was connected to the mystery murders and left behind an arm at the crime scene. Celestia’s reaction was appropriate from anyone who thought their surrogate daughter had perished in an awful fate. “And my phone?” Sunset asked as well, dreading the answer. “I brought it there with me to take pictures.” Celestia shook her head. “The didn’t find anything else there that belonged to you.” She let out a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry. It most likely was destroyed in the fire.” Sunset closed her eyes. “Today is just not my day.” She muttered under her breath. “At least you are alive.” Susnet couldn’t help but smirk. “That is a silver lining.” Celestia nodded. “Now let’s get you to my home okay? We’ll pick up Gilda and help her before going to meet up with Pinkie.” The principal smiled. “She especially is understandably distraught about you.” Sunset smile in affirmation. “Okay Principal Celestia.” “Just call me Celestia.” Witchblade Nottingham knelt in the room, she could feel the licks of flames from the candles that surrounded her. There was enough, and they were close enough that it felt as if her skin was burning, but it remained intact. Years of enhancement made her skin immune to such wounds and injuries. However, as she knelt in the middle of the circle drawn on the ground, she could hear a husky voice from the darkness beyond the candle’s reach. “The witchblade cannot be forced into obedience, but it can be coerced.” The husky, low voice explained. “Using certain runes, it can be wrangled into place …into obedience.” The woman continued. “Do you understand what must be done?” Nottingham took in a deep breath and nodded. “I understand what must be done. I understand what my assignment is.” She shut her eyes as footsteps approached from behind her. She clenched her teeth as she felt the blade of the knife cut into her flesh, feeling as if the heat of a hundred fires were burning into their muscle. The blade cut into the skin of her back and she felt as it slowly moved down along her spine. It burned with pain as the heat of the blade exasperated it more, making her nerves erupt in pain, but she endured. The blade then moved to her arms, trailing down from her shoulder all the way to the back of her hand. There, it slowly carved a circular rune into the muscle. She let out a sigh of relief as she felt the knife retract. “Are you ready?” The voice consisting of Iron asked. Nottingham nodded. “I am Nottingham…the subjugator of witchblade. I am your fire …your blaze.” She opened her eyes. “I am ready.” She whispered before grasping the two katanas that laid in front of her. “Than rise you shall.” The woman in the shadows stepped forwards and towered above Nottingham. Her orange hair spilled out, covering her shoulder and complimented her orange suit and pants. The suits had purple cuffs around the wrists and ankles, and upon her hand was a golden chain. “Rise …Aria Blaze, and show this city why they fear the name ‘Nottingham’.” Aria Blaze rose and stood up in front of her master. She took off her mask and shook out her purple and cyan streaked hair. Her jade armor now covered by a golden suit with obsidian and purple accents with a white star in the middle. She lifted her blades up and held it in a way so that it extended up behind her arms. “I will not fail.” She swore. The Iron Lady of Canterlot City, Adagio Irons, smiled back. “I am sure of it.” She whispered. Witchblade After Sunset dropped her stuff at Celestia’s place and met with Luna, she and her Principal left to grab Gilda. Apparently the two lived together and shared their living expenses, and since they lived so close to CHS, it reduced the commute as well. When they arrived at Gilda’s home and knocked on the door, Sunset was nearly crushed by the girl. Then Gilda pulled away and gave Sunset a heavy bonk on the head, not hard enough where it hurt but where it got the point across. “That is what you get for playing hero …” Gilda sniffed before wiping her eyes. “I thought I had let a good person die again.” Sunset rubbed her head and looked at Gilda who was still sniffing. “A good person who saved some delinquent because she was just that short sighted and stubborn.” “I’m sorry.” Sunset sighed. “I didn’t want to …” Sunset was interrupted as she was embraced in another crushing hug. She let out a sigh before patting Gilda on the back as the girl let out all her trauma all over her shirt. After about a minute of crying, Gilda managed to calm down and let Sunset and Celestia into her home. Celestia let the two girl’s sit down while she went off to help grab the boxes Gilda had already packed. The older woman decided that it would be best for the two girls to talk out their feelings with each other. The girl’s home wasn’t that big, only having a single bedroom, a kitchen, a restroom and a small living room. The paint was peeling off the roof, the carpet had some stains on it …the bed wasn’t made, and the couch had some parts in disrepair. That also wasn’t mentioning how the ceiling looked to be on its way out, with all the cracks within it. After about a minute of awkwardness, Sunset finally broke the ice. “Why didn’t you just run?” She finally asked. “I was dead anyways and …well you never had love for me anyways.” Gilda rolled her eyes. “I can be stubborn, I can be thick headed and extremely hot tempered …but I'm not a psychopath.” She opened a can of beer and shakily took a small sip from the can. “And …god I thought we were going to die there.” She shook her head. Sunset smiled and placed a hand onto Gilda’s which was shaking badly. “I never leave anyone behind.” “Yeah …except yourself.” Gilda shook her head and pulled her hand out from Sunset’s. “You just …run into danger head first as if by impulse.” The girl shook her head. “Giant bully of the school, ‘let me challenge her’, three demon girls who aim to brainwash everyone, ‘let me run at them’, a conspiracy surrounding ‘Anon-A-Miss’, ‘hell yeah!” Gilda ranted as she crushed her can in her grip. “Well …it’s a defining feature.” Sunset smirked. She sat there awkwardly as she tried to think of a more appropriate response. She wanted to tell Gilda that she was a pony from another dimension who came to this world on a whim …that she was not a stranger to magic because of this …but that would probably blow the girl’s mind. “I …you …I also may have looked up to you …” Gilda finally managed out. “What?” Sunset chuckled. “I told you …you were a demon back then.” Gilda muttered. “But then you turned your life around so quickly …and the battle of the bands …” The girl closed her eyes. “You had much more impact than you thought.” The girl sighed. “Wow …” Sunset scoffed. “That is …a lot.” “You didn’t just inspire people …you were a lot of people’s hero …especially after the battle of the bands.” Gilda closed her eyes. “Which is why I was so disappointed when Anon-A-Miss appeared.” The girl looked down. “And now I know that I was wrong.” “Anon-A-Miss had everyone fooled.” Sunset tried by Gilda shook her head. “No, you don’t understand …” Gilda muttered. “I should have been better …should have done more to confirm you weren’t Anon-A-Miss …and when the truth was too much to deny …” Gilda closed her eyes. “To have you die …to have my …role model die …right after …all that. I didn’t want to allow that.” She admitted. Sunset looked up at Gilda, and saw that the girl was trying her best to hide her facial features from behind her hair. She thought back to the night, how Gilda was so determined to help her get out of the warehouse. The strange words of, ‘let me do something good for someone for once’ seemed to hint at something else, and Sunset felt a pang of curiosity leading her to ask. “Back at the warehouse …” Sunset started, getting the other girl’s attention. “When you were trying to get me out as well …what did you mean when you said that you wanted to do something good for someone else for once.” She grabbed a beer from the table. She knew that Celestia would disapprove, but she felt that the situation warranted a drink here. She took a sip as Gilda stared at the wall, seemingly focused somewhere else beyond it with her eyes glazed over. Sunset began to regret the question until Gilda finally answered. “Because those who help me either get killed …or hurt because of me.” Gilda finally whispered. She took a sip from her can. “Gallus, mom, dad…I’m sorry …” The girl choked. “I failed again.” “You don’t have to say if you don’t want.” Sunset shook her head. “I understand how much it hurts to bring up painful memories.” She closed her eyes before taking a drink from her beer. “No …you should know.” Gilda muttered. “I was being stubborn because it was the same situation.” She lifted her arm in front of her as if replaying the scene right there. “I was stuck in a horrible situation …my friend tells me to run …and you know the rest.” She flopped her hand down back and laid it on her knee. “Gallus saved you I presume?” Sunset asked. “And so did your parents?” Gilda nodded. “Gallus helped me escape a gang …my parents died while saving me from a robbery.” The girl’s head hung low and she looked to the side to hide her face, but Sunset could tell that she was trying her best to hide her tears. “They made you promise to be better?” Gilda nodded. “Yes …and that’s why I wanted to honor my promise.” Sunset ruffled her eyebrows. “But …you spoke as if they were still alive back at the cafe.” Her face scrunched up as she tried to decipher the situation in front of her. “That if they ever returned, you wouldn’t be able to look them in the eye.” “You wouldn’t believe it.” Gilda smirked. Sunset rolled her eyes. “Try me. We saw demons last night.” She scoffed. Gilda paused before nodding her head. “Alright. A couple months later …I got a note. It read … ‘I’m still alive’ on it.” Sunset failed to hide her shock so Gilda continued. “It was either a sick joke or …” The girl’s expression softened. “I saw his body but …I know he somehow managed to pull through. Gallus was always the sly one. If he wanted to …he could escape the grim reaper himself.” Sunset let out a sigh before leaning back in the couch, causing it to creak. “Thank you for telling me.” She closed her eyes. “I know it must’ve been hard.” “He’s still alive out there …” Gilda muttered. “He must be …” “But yet you act as if he isn’t.” Sunset raised an eyebrow. Gilda closed her eyes. “Hope …it’s small …but it’s all I have …it’s all anyone can have.” Sunset gave a small smile. “I’m sorry for making you worried.” She finally sighed. “It’s just that I dragged you into the mess …and didn’t want you to pay the price.” She lifted her beer can to her mouth and took another sip. “You throw your life too easily.” Gilda muttered. The girl tossed her hands in the air. “And right after figuring out who Anon-A-Miss was as well!” She gestured out into the air. “You would have died a villain! A cautionary tale.” “But you and Pinkie would have known though.” Sunset lifted a finger up. “You two would have known the truth.” She emphasized. “Nobody will believe a delinquent and an eccentric party planner.” Gilda snorted. She shook her head. “It was unfair.” “I don’t care.” Sunset finally laughed, causing Gilda to do a double take so she decided to elaborate. “I just wanted to know the truth and someone else to be with me.” She closed her eyes. “Even if it cost me my life …it would be enough.” She whispered. Gilda then replied by slapping her in the back of her head. “Don’t speak like that Shimmer!” Gilda snapped as Sunset rubbed her skull, angrily protesting at the abuse hurled at it. “Life is precious …don’t waste it!” She snapped. She then angrily finished the rest of her beer and tossed it towards a trash can …and missing. The girl got up from the couch and offered a hand towards Sunset. “Well …it’s obvious you have a knack of throwing yourself into danger …so you need some muscle.” Sunset raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” Gilda rolled her eyes. “Thought you were the smart one.” The girl let out a snort. “Every wannabe detective needs a partner, and you need someone to keep you out of danger.” She shrugged her shoulder. “I’m putting my hat in the ring.” Sunset was at a lost for words and stammered as Gilda kept her hand outstretched towards her. After a few seconds, she managed out a sentence. “You’ll be an outcast if you work with me …they’ll assume you’re also Anon-A-Miss.” Gilda shrugged. “My reputation is already in the shitter.” “We’ll be attacked. Any goodwill you have will disappear.” “It’s not about how you look. It’s about what you do.” “You’ll be in danger.” Sunset tried in one last ditch attempt. “We might be attacked …assulted even.” Gilda simply shrugged again. “I ain’t no stranger to danger …savvy?” She raised an eyebrow and placed her other hand upon her hips. Sunset realized that the girl wasn’t going to take ‘no’ for an answer. So she took the girl’s hand and got up from the couch and stood with her, face to face. “You’re crazy Gilda Grimshaw.” Sunset sighed. “No more crazy than you Sunset Shimmer.” Gilda smirked. Sunset couldn’t help but feel relief wash over her, though she didn’t want to admit it. It felt nice to have someone firmly in her corner, whoever it may be. “The chief of police asked me to drop my investigation and let the cops handle it though.” Sunset sighed, rubbing her arm. “So we won’t be doing much.” To that comment, Gilda simply raised an eyebrow. “Is that really going to stop you?” She asked before giving Sunset a good pat on the shoulder. “Come on girl …we got an Anon-A-Miss to catch.” Sunset nodded and looked Gilda in the eyes. “Then let’s go, partner.” Witchblade Sunset and Gilda packed the rest of the things from Gilda’s home and loaded it into Celestia’s car. They didn’t say much during the ride, but spoke about what was going to happen the next few weeks. They were going to stay with Celestia for a while and be protected by the police for a couple of weeks since she was a witness of an attempted murder. Though Sunset wanted to get back to school as soon as possible, Celestia advised that she skip school for a couple of days, at least a week, for her own safety. However, she suspected that she just wanted to make sure Sunset didn’t sneak off and do anything reckless. When they got back to Celestia’s home, they unpacked and took in Gilda’s belongings for the next couple of weeks, or how long they were going to stay with Celestia. After getting their stuff settled down, and nearly having an altercation between Gilda and Luna after one made a comment about the others hair, they went off to visit Pinkie’s home. On their way towards the Pie residence …Celestia went on about how distraught Pinkie was when she heard about her supposed death. Gilda rubbed the back of her head at that comment and looked the other way and muttered something about feeling bad for that. When they finally arrived at the Pie’s residence and rang the bell, Sunset saw that their home was guarded by two police cars. It made Sunset feel better knowing that her friend was in good hands, and that she was protected. They knocked on the front door and were greeted by Limestone Pie who just stared at Sunset. She had light gray skin and ash colored hair and green eyes. She wore a green jacket over her white shirt and blue shorts which revealed her toned muscles. “Sunset …?” She asked in her raspy voice before looking at Gilda. Her eyes narrowed before hissing, “You …” “Me.” Gilda rolled her eyes. “Let us skip the whole thing where we insult each other …because we both know I’ll win.” “Go fuck yourself.” Limestone hissed. “You’re the one who got Sunset hurt in the first place.” She snapped. This caused both Sunset and Celestia to recoil. Both of them knew where this was going, but before they could jump in, the two girls just continued. “Me?!” Gilda squawked. “Oh I’m so sorry I couldn’t help getting kidnapped. Next time when I am being chased by angry bug monsters I’ll just pack the bug spray.” She scowled. “I’m not talking about that!” Limestone snapped. “You just up and abandoned her in that warehouse!” The girl snapped. “Actually …” Sunset lifted a finger up but couldn’t get a word in as the two girls turned to her and shouted. “NOT NOW!” Before they then returned to their petty arguing. “Sunset teleported me out!” “Not if you helped her get out!” “How!” “By not faffing about and not being a crying little bitch!” Limestone snapped. “You know how devastated Pinkie was about hearing how her best friend died …and hearing it in graphic detail …how she cried herself to sleep!?” “At least she wasn’t there to see it!” Gilda roared. She walked forwards, pushing the girl into her own house with her finger up to her chest. “I saw Sunset get stabbed! I saw her get shot! I saw her fucking bleed out in front of me! You and Pinkie don’t understand what I WENT THROUGH YOU LITTLE BIT-!” Gilda didn’t get a word out before Celestia shouted in anger. “GIRL’S ENOUGH!” She finally snapped. The principal turned to Limestone. “You’re being unreasonable. Gilda had no control over being kidnapped!” She then turned towards Gilda. “Control your temper and stop instigating a fight!” The two girls she scolded looked to the side with a scowl, but also with shame on their faces. At that moment, everyone in the household managed their way over towards the front door to see what was going on. Sunset saw Igneous Rock walk out of his office, Cloudy Quartz came out of the kitchen wearing baking gloves, and Limestone’s three siblings came down from the stairs. “Sunset?” Pinkie gasped from behind Maud before rushing down the stairs with tears in her eyes. Sunset was nearly bowled over when Pinkie gave her a big bear hug with loud sobs. “You’re alive …you’re alive I can’t believe it!” The scene was sweet enough it managed to get a smile out from the stoic maud and the temperamental Limestone. Gilda smiled as well, but looked away as the two girls had their moment. Celestia pat Pinkie on the back as the girl continued to sob in Sunset’s chest, refusing to let go as Sunset’s lungs demanded room to breathe. Gilda seemed to cool down and rubbed the back of her head. “Hey Pinkie …” The girl muttered. Pinkie simply glared at the girl before stuffing her face back in Sunset’s chest. “I’m alive.” Sunset smiled. “The details of my deaths were …greatly exaggerated.” She snickered as Pinkie finally managed to pull herself away. The girl wiped her eyes and took in a deep gasp and hiccuped a bit. “Gilda ran into the police station screaming about how you died …about demons and a crazy ninja lady …” Pinkie sniffed before continuing. “Then she grabbed me by the shoulders with a crazy look on her face and shook me while screaming about how you were dead.” The girl muttered. “Ok to be fair I wasn’t in a good headspace. I just saw Sunset die …I was about to die …then I was teleported on top of a police car.” Gilda muttered. “I was under a lot of pressure in the warehouse.” Sunset scoffed. “I was just hoping to get you close to safety.” “Also the trip was extremely disorientating.” Gilda continued. “But as you can see …” Sunset gestured at her body. “I’m fine.” Pinkie let out a small laugh. “I can see that …” She sniffed. “Sunset Shimmer …” Igneous Pie stepped forward, pushing Gilda to the side, with a hand out. “I just wanted to thank you for saving my daughter.” He smiled as Sunset Shimmer shook his hand. Gilda looked as if she wanted to punch the man, but she held back her hand and just simply glared at Igneous. “It was my fault …” Sunset Shimmer muttered. “Those guys in the diner …I shouldn’t have riled them up.” “They were criminals and potentially murderers.” Igneous Pie snarked. “I saw the photos of the diner this morning and how it was nearly completely trashed. Also, there was the other customers who were chased out and their testimony on how they were threatened, bribed or chased out to isolate you and Pinkie.” The father scoffed. “From how I see it …you did my daughter and everyone here a favor.” “I saw the sketches from the witness about the gang members.” Cloudy Quartz suddenly jumped in. The woman smiled. “From what I heard …they also could be connected to the Mystery Murder case.” “Supposedly.” Igneous Pie reminded. “However it is likely from the way they isolated and attacked Sunset.” The man gestured towards Sunset. “It is a good thing she was there to help Pinkie and Gilda.” Sunset couldn’t help but blush a little from the praise. “You are too kind.” She looked over her shoulder at the cop cars behind her which surrounded the household. “Do you think they were come after Pinkie?” She asked. “She was a witness to a crime that potentially involves a large corporation that is associated with making people disappear.” Limestone let out an angry chortle. “Of course they will. We just have to show them that it’s not worth it.” A sly smile made its way onto her face. “We have a rifle, a pistol, and a shotgun.” Maud deadpanned. Sunset could swear she saw a semblance of a smile on the girl’s face, but if there was, it had disappeared as quickly as it appeared. “We’ll be safe.” Pinkie smiled. “If they come and attack …we’ll show them the Pie hospitality!” She cheerfully declared with her arms stretched up. Sunset smiled, happy that Pinkie’s cheerfulness was still there with the girl. “And by hospitality we mean lead.” Maud explained. Gilda snorted while Celestia cringed a little, obviously a bit uncomfortable at the eagerness for violence. Gilda brightened up a small bit though, her animosity morphing into what looked to be a hint of respect for the family. “Anyways …she did a miraculous job dispatching them all and saving not one …but two lives.” Igneous gave Sunset a warm smile, which was thanks enough for her. Sunset couldn’t help but blush. “Thanks you two.” “How did you escape?” Maud suddenly barged in. The girl had violet hair and green eyes and wore a gray sweater along with ashy pants. Her expression was stoic, but from the subtle tone of her voice, Sunset could detect a genuine curiosity. Sunset shrugged. “I blacked out. Magic?” Pinkie snorted and took in a deep breath. She then punched Sunset in the shoulder hard causing her to flinch. “That’s what you get for ditching me at the police station.” The pink haired girl pouted, but it couldn’t hide the small smile behind it. “I was already rescuing this one…” Sunset gestured towards Gilda who just rolled her eyes. “I didn’t want to keep track of two people.” She took a deep breath. “It was a really close call.” “Well I’m not letting you ditch me again.” Pinkie pouted. “You’re staying here where I can keep track of you.” She sniffed. “Pinkie …though your concern for Sunset is understandable …I’m sure she can take care of herself. Besides …I think she needs rest after everything that she went through.” Cloudy Quartz explained, placing a hand upon her daughter’s shoulder. Sunset gave a small smile. “When this is all over …I can come by and hang out okay. Then you can watch me all you want.” She gave Pinkie a small wink which caused her to blush. Gilda cleared her throat loudly and walked in between the two. “So it’s a date then?” Pinkie asked. “We were kind of told to remain with Celestia.” Gilda suddenly interjected. She turned towards Sunset. “Sorry …we can’t come over.” “Then maybe I can come over!” Pinkie suggested. “We can have a sleepover!” “We don't have room.” Gilda shrugged. “Not enough rooms in the house.” “She can stay in my room.” Sunset shrugged. “I don’t really mind.” Gilda growled as Pinkie bounced up and down with a big smile plastered on her face. “Is it a date then?!” Pinkie asked. Sunset smiled. “Yes. It is. Pinkie promise.” Everyone smiled at the sight of the two girl’s reconnecting. Gilda also couldn’t help but smile as well. With all of the trouble that was on everyone’s mind, nobody protested to a small bit of happiness in their life, especially with a friend. Well, almost everyone. Nobody noticed Maud’s clenched fist, which shook with a cold fury. Witchblade After the meeting with Pinkie, Sunset’s day went on without much more incident. She got to talk with Gilda and get the two to know each other a bit better. Luna came back from the Canterlot High School, a bit more grumpy than usual, and complaining about Anon-A-Miss. Apparently it got worse over break …and now every student seemed to be at each others throats. Sunset wondered if her investigation into Anon-A-Miss caused it to get worse …but Celestia reassured her that it had been going on for a while by that point. Gilda offered to go shake up some people in school that she knew about for information. Celestia expressed her disapproval, and so did Luna with less enthusiasm, and Sunset asked the girl to not put herself at risk. Gilda than grumbled about not be able to do things the easy way, but relented. At night time, Sunset was in her pajamas and had just put on her shirt when Gilda snuck up on her, and placed a cold hand upon her shoulder. She nearly jumped out of her skin. “You don’t have a scar …” Gilda muttered, looking down at Sunset’s chest. Sunset looked down and rubbed her sternum, and moved her hand to her heart. “I know it’s strange.” She muttered. Gilda looked down at her stomach and brushed her hand over the areas where Sunset was shot. “Does it hurt?” She asked softly, with a hint of concern in her eyes. Sunset shook her head. She looked down and saw scars on Gilda’s right hand. She grabbed the girl’s hand and lifted the sleeve up to see gnarly scars with the shape of lightning stretching from her hand all the way up to her elbow. “How did I not see this?” Sunset whispered. Her memory went back to the night when she saw Gilda put on the gauntlet. At that time she just thought it was a magical item that gave super strength, or did mind control. She didn’t know that it was going to shock the girl and give her such awful scars. It also didn’t help that she didn’t know what to do at that moment. “It’s not your fault.” Gilda pushed the sleeve down to cover it, but Sunset stopped her. “It is.” Sunset sighed. “I was there and saw them forcing you to put on the gauntlet. I should have done something sooner.” Guilt filled her as she replayed that moment in her mind. She froze, she should have done something but she froze, and if she didn’t …Gilda wouldn’t have had such an awful injury. “They would have torn you into shreds.” Gilda shrugged. She then pushed the sleeve down before lifting up her shirt revealing another on her stomach. It was large, jagged, and was the thickness of a small blade. “It isn’t the first one I have …and isn’t the last.” “Does it hurt?” Sunset asked, while rubbing her arm, disturbed at the cruel scar that sat upon Gilda’s body. “At first …but it recovered quickly. Even the doctors were confused.” Gilda scoffed. The girl took in a deep breath. “When I put the gauntlet on …it felt as if …it was connecting to me.” She looked Sunset in the eyes. “Call me crazy …but it felt as if it rejected me …like it was alive.” Sunset looked down at her right arm where the small silver bracelet was. The small jewel seemed to glow even from the minimal light that came from the lightbulb in Sunset’s room. She had nearly forgotten about it, and the memory of something crawling up her arm flashed in her mind. Gilda also took notice and took her hand before staring at the bracelet that sat upon it. “Never took you for one who wore jewelry.” Gilda muttered. Sunset grabbed her hand and rubbed the bracelet. “Neither did I.” Gilda nodded before turning around and leaning against the door frame of Sunset’s temporary room. “Well …just wanted to make sure you were okay …and to wish you good night.” She looked out into the hallway, and just leaned there, as if contemplating something. “I think back to that night …I wonder what happened to that gauntlet.” The girl sighed. Sunset looked nervously down at her right arm. “Yeah. So do I.” Gilda nodded. “I don’t know why but sometimes I just feel …” She paused with her mouth open. “I just wish I could see it one more time …I don’t know why.” Gilda muttered. The girl then shrugged it off. “Sorry about rambling. Good night Sunset. Holler if you need help.” The girl said before walking off towards the downstairs couch. “No worries.” Sunset called out, but slowly lowered her hand. She went over and closed her room door before sitting down onto her bed. She felt bad when it was revealed that Celestia only had one guest bedroom. Sunset offered to sleep on the couch, but Gilda stubbornly insisted that she be the one to do it, and despite protest, Gilda wouldn’t budge. Sunset looked down at her bracelet which seemed to glare at her. “What are you …?” Sunset muttered finally, as if expecting the bracelet to answer. She rolled her eyes and tried to tug the bracelet off her hand to no avail. “Come on …I don’t want to sleep with some trinket on!” She growled quietly so as to not disturb everyone else in the house. She banged it on her desk which caused a ripple to go through her, causing her to stumble back. }}}I am a being of great power. I would appreciate not being molested and smashed against cheap wooden desks.{{{ Sunset had to stifle a scream at the voice that spoke to her in her head. The red jewel on the bracelet began to glow, as if finally awakening. She stumbled back onto her bed while staring at the bracelet. “What are you?” She whispered. “I’ve never heard of magical talking artifacts before.” }}}I am no mere magical artifact. I was born from the meeting of two primordial forces. Created to maintain the balance of darkness and light. I am a being of great power and would appreciate not being delegated as some object.{{{ “You are saying a lot without saying much.” }}}I am called ....the witchblade! I choose wielders who are worthy of the power I grant to maintain balance in the universe. You are the most recent wielder and I have chosen you to be the next.{{{ Sunset nodded. “Okay. But when did you choose me? I don’t remember picking you up at all.” She questioned. }}}You do not remember because the power overwhelmed you at that time. It overwhelmed your mind. Let me remind you.{{{ Suddenly, Sunset’s mind was filled with memories of that night. She remembered the masked woman towering over her, the sword dangling over her skull, calling herself the Blade of Iron. She then remembered an eruption of flames as a woman covered in metallic armor walked out, burning everything in the surrounding area. She remembered the clash between the Blade of Iron as she and the woman clashed blades. There were screams as the masked woman was burned over and over again, but came out without any injuries. The monsters then clawed their way out of the canal and back into the room as the sound of sirens surrounded in the background. The woman then let out a roar, and fired a blast of fire at one of the monsters. There was an explosion which melted half of the warehouse, in which the woman walked out of …and she was … “Me!” Sunset exclaimed with a gasp, clasping her chest as the pain of the katana through her chest suddenly returned. “I fought off the Blade of Iron or whatever her name was.” }}}We fought her off. We are in a symbiotic relationship. It was only now that it was stable enough that communicating with you wouldn’t make you black out.{{{ “And they escaped! But where did the explosion come from?” She asked. }}}One of the demons reflected the flame and concentrated some of his power into it. It is very dangerous.{{{ “Do you think they will come after Pinkie?” Sunset questioned. “Will they come after me?” }}}It is likely they will come after the other girl. She is the only one who they know the location of. The other girl moved here and you are the wild card. However, I am unsure who would be the one to attack.{{{ “What do you mean?” }}}It could be the demons who attacked you or the woman we sparred with last night. If it is the latter …{{{ “She was able to deflect all my attacks last night.” Sunset muttered. She could feel her heart pumping just from remembering the fight. The clashing of blades, how every strike was deflected, and how the masked woman’s aim was true and always hit on target. “She was able to match our power just like that.” }}}We must proceed with caution. It would be a poor end to one with such a promising future.{{{ “I am no stranger to life threatening situations.” Sunset affirmed. She looked at her door and thought about getting Gilda into it as well, however, she didn’t want to drag the girl into anymore danger. Besides, she was just going to go check to ensure Pinkie Pie was okay. However, how she was going to get there was another issue. She couldn’t just ask Celestia for a ride, and Gilda would get suspicious and ask to come if she mentioned Pinkie Pie. It was also in the middle of the night, and she suspected nobody would be eager to drive all the way to the Pie family residence just for a checkup. She also didn’t want to sneak through the home and make her way halfway across town. }}}Go to the window.{{{ “What, why?” Sunset asked as she made her way to the window. She opened it up and was hit by the cold air quickly rushing in. She looked out at the snow below, and determined that it wasn’t thick enough to give her a soft landing. }}}Unleash my power. It is the only way to save your friend.{{{ Sunset looked down at her bracelet and hesitated. She remembered the last time it took over her, how destructive it was. However, Pinkie could be in danger, and she wasn’t going to wait around and let the girl be hurt. She let out a sigh as she realized that she would be running headlong into danger again, just like Gilda said she had a habit of doing, but it would be a cold day in hell for her to let her friend be in danger. “Tell me how.” She whispered. }}}Focus on me. Focus on the bracelet and with your mind reach out towards me.{{{ Sunset took in a deep breath as she did what was requested. She felt a tug of power on her wrist as the bracelet began to glow. The silver of the bracelet extended out and started to extend outwards with metallic blades up her arm. It shredded her clothes as it slowly covered her body, making its was across her shoulder blades towards her other arm. The armor covered her shoulder and parts of her arm before then working on her hands. Her forearms were completely covered, her hands became claws with spiked tips at the end. Her right hand had the gems upon it though, the red and yellow gems on her knuckles, with the blue one near her elbow. It then snaked downwards from her shoulders and barely covered her breasts and womanhood in what could only be described as bikini armor. The middle of her chest was completely open which only stopped at her sex in a V-shape. The armor wasn’t the only thing that changed about her. Her hair became more metallic, and the whites of her eyes became black, and the turquoise irises became brighter and more pronounced. Her muscles became more toned, her chest and abonomial muscles became thicker. Fire flowed through her veins, but it didn’t sting, rather it filled her with power. The cold of the air disappeared as her entire body felt warm and she could feel the power radiating out from her. “This is amazing!” She cackled. }}}Now jump out.{{{ “What?” Sunset’s excitement at the new flow of power through her body was suddenly stopped by that one statement. }}}I also give you enhanced strength. You can make it. If you want to make it to your friends house though, you’ll need a quicker way than just running there.{{{ “How am I supposed to get there fast enough?” }}}I am only limited by your imagination.{{{ “Really?” Sunset muttered before smiling. She put a foot on the windowsill and propelled herself forwards. Orange and red batwings extended out with metal lining the edges which stuck out into the sky. She willed herself forwards into the heavens and above the clouds, taking in the power and the freedom suddenly granted to her. She let out a laugh before diving down and quickly speeding through the air towards the Pie residence. She circled around a tower and weaved in between buildings and past a window. A kid pointed outside for his parents to see the strange winged lady flying in the air, but neither wanted to get up from bed. Sunset wanted to test the extend of her ability to fly more, but she focused and made her way as quickly as she could to the Pie residence. The snow fell over her, and the cold winter air enveloped her, but they both seemed to recoil when they got close. She felt as if she was fire and power. “Hang on Pinkie. I’m coming.” Sunset promised as she sped through the winter night. Witchblade Pinkie slept soundly in her room and would normally be dreaming of ice cream and cats along with ice cream cats. However, after the warehouse explosion, she could only dream of Sunset, missing an arm, burnt with gouged out eyes and rotting skin pointing an accusatory finger at her. The figure would then ask Pinkie why the girl took away her smile before opening her mouth revealing it was cut downwards in a frown shape with rotting teeth in the middle. However, her sleep was stopped abruptly by a thump outside. She jerked upwards and looked around the room. Ever since the incident at the cafe, she had been very jumpy about potential monsters hiding around the corner. That thing with orange skin at the cafe stayed in her mind, she could never shake it off. After confirming that the monster was nowhere to be seen, she reached over and grabbed her phone. Maybe the sound had come from her phone and her head dreamt it to be different? She scrolled through the messages where she had spoken with the other friends in their friend group. [Applejack: I’m sure Gilda was just rambling nonsense. Sunset can handle hereslf …she’ll be fine.] [RainbowDash: If there is one thing I know for sure about Sunset it’s that she’s a fighter. She’ll be fine.] [Rarity: I saw on the news …despite everything …I hope she is unharmed.] [FlutterShy: Oh god …and after all the mean things we said …I hope she is alright.] Pinkie let out a sigh as she placed her phone to the side. Despite everything, they still believed that Sunset was Anon-A-Miss. Despite Sunset nearly getting herself killed trying to find the true culprit, people still thought it was a ruse, or she had some shady gang dealings. The girl understood Sunset’s frustration, and why she was snapping at the ‘Thor’ guy in the cafe. Before her mind could wander any further, she heard gunfire in the street. She sat up in her bed, her heart pumping as the sounds of screaming and the slicing of flesh echoed. She could hear the cries of bystanders and a loud crash and the screeching of car tires. Pinkie breathed heavily as she got out of bed and rushed towards the hall. She nearly ran into Limestone and Maud who seemed to also be making their way out. Their father and mother was also there, Igneous holding his trusty rifle. “Did you guys hear that?” Pinkie asked, panicked. “Stay in your room Pinkie.” Igneous ordered her. “But …” “I said go!” Her father ordered, panicked. Pinkie nodded and looked at her siblings and saw that Limestone had her trusty revolver, and Maud, her trust shotgun. Before Pinkie could duck back into her room, there was a sudden knock on the door right before the doorbell was run. That seemed to confuse everyone and even Marble Pie stuck her head out from behind the door she was hiding. Limestone snapped and ushered Marble to go back and hide in their room. A second past as the air stood still. “Do you think they left?” Pinkie whispered. The door was then kicked open flying across the living room and into the kitchen. A masked woman stepped through, a blade in her hand that was red with blood. In her other hand, she dragged a police officer by the cuff of his shirt. She tossed the police officer to the side and into the television in the living room. “Shit!” Limestone exclaimed as she aimed her revolver at the intruder. The masked woman, with a swift motion, caught the bullet in midair. Pinkie ducked back in her room as the entire Pie family began to unload all their weapons into the intruder, but the masked woman continued up the stairs. She caught all the bullets in her hand while blocking the others with her sword. She reached the top of the stairwell and loomed over the family. Their father quickly reloaded his rifle, but was kicked to the side by the masked woman with indifference. Maud came at the woman with a hammer, but was grabbed by the neck and thrown down the stairs. Cloudy reached down to help her husband, but kicked away and knocked out as well. Limestone threw a punch but it was caught easily. Limestone was forced down, and watched as the masked woman lifted a clenched fist over her, before opening it up and let go of the bullets she had caught and dumped it onto her chest. In a rare moment for the abrasive girl, she showed an expression of panic. “Who are you?” Limestone trembled as the masked woman leaned forwards. “I am nobody.” Was all the masked woman said before grabbing the girl by the throat. Limestone was slammed into the wall repeatedly with loud cracks, until her eyes rolled into the back of her head. She slumped onto the ground as the masked woman let the girl go. She slowly approached Pinkie’s room. In the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Marble, the girl shivering in the corner as she observed the the masked woman. The masked woman sheathed her sword and turned away from the girl before walking into Pinkie’s room. The pink haired girl was backed up in the very back with a knife in her hands. “D-don’t move or else!” The girl shook as her heart pounded in her chest. Tears flowed from her eyes as the masked woman continued towards her. “I-I mean it …get away!” She shouted as she continued to sob. The masked woman stood in front of her now. Pinkie thrusted the knife forwards into the masked woman’s chest, only for it to be stopped by two fingers. The masked woman tossed the blade away and grabbed Pinkie who struggled in the woman’s iron grasp. She cried out as she was carried down the stairs and out the home. She sobbed as she was thrown onto the snow covered ground in front of seven insect-like humanoid creatures with black carapaces and green eyes. One of them bent forwards and stared at Pinkie whose tears made it hard for her to see. She sniffed and sat up with her fists raised up. “I-I’m not scared of you!” She snapped, throwing a punch that was easily dodged. The humanoid insect simply nodded before looking up at the masked woman. “The wendigos won’t be happy we aren’t killing her.” “They already let their presence be known with their overfeeding. Besides …she is the bait …and a dead bait is useless is it not?” The masked woman asked. The humanoid insect shrugged. “I guess so. But if we killed her …the girl would come for revenge anyhow.” “And lose our leverage?” The masked woman let out a chuckle. “Typical changelings. Thinking one step ahead and with your stomach.” The changeling sneered. “Well at least I’m not a lapdog.” It then turned around. “So where is the witchblade?!” It gestured at the burning police cars in front of the Pie residence. The flames flickered up into the sky as the officers laid there in the snow, many of them bleeding out into the snow. “Is it too scared to come out!? It sure was too scared at the warehouse!” The changeling taunted. “Do you think it’s a good idea to taunt the superweapon who can disintegrate us?” Another changeling asked. “I mean …you saw what happened at the warehouse. It’s power turned half of it into slag!” “What is she going to do?!” The first changeling scoffed. “Kill us?” Pinkie was too scared to speak or move as the masked woman stood over her. However, a figure in the sky caught her attention, and she turned to see it quickly moving towards her. It had orange wings and metallic wings while being covered in what looked to be bikini armor. Before she could say anything, she felt herself swept off her feet and flown away from the wreckage and into the crowd that was forming around the scene. She looked up to see a woman with firey and metallic hair with black eyes which had turquoise irises. The woman than quickly flew over the scene as quickly as she had arrived with a scowl on her face. The masked woman smiled. She had waited for so long to fight a worthy opponent, and if this was anything like the warehouse, it would be worth her time. She never knew some lowly reporter would get the power of the witchblade. It would be hers shortly, but before that, it was going to be a fight to remember, she was sure of that. She never killed anyone who wasn’t her target, and this one was looking to be a good one. “You know changeling …that is a damn good idea.” The witchblade scowled as the other changelings began to cower. “Now which one wants to start?” Author's Note Hello there Hi. Theses are my Author Notes. If you are coming here from Michael Ravencrofts Witchblade story, you may have noticed some similarities. Well, I liked his introduction to Witchblade so much I decided to "borrow" some parts of his story. "No officer, I wasn't doing a robbery. It was simply a meme." All joking aside, I wanted to skip to the action as fast as possible and didn't know where to take the story. I really hope you'll forgive my lack of creativity for this chapter. Next chapter and the next arc will cover the first Witchblade story arc. The story of Nottingham, Irons and Sarah is the first issue to the best of my knowledge. I love Nottingham and Kenneth Irons and wanted to adapt them into the fanfic. The issue is which characters to use? The human version of the dazzlings are rarely used, and I barely see them in different stories. So in this arc, what better than to use them. Don't worry, the pony versions of the dazzlings will appear, but later and I have something planned for them as well. But for now, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. I appreciate any writing tips and plot critiques.
