//------------------------------// // I'm friends with the monster... // Story: What the Left Hand is Doing // by SSPeanutButter //------------------------------// An unseen force pushed Sunset onto the chair she had been seated at hours earlier, but unlike last time, when she tried to stand up, she found herself restrained by some form of strap across her torso. She looked around, but it was quickly apparent that her captor did not want her to see anything. The streetlights form outside failed to trickle in through the windows, as if the curtains had been taped to the walls. The only light came through the gap between the door and it’s frame, which only allowed Sunset to see very scarce silhouettes. “I’m glad we’ve been re-acquainted, Sunny.” The shadows spoke, malice dripping from every word. “A shame it’s due to such, pressing circumstances.” Sunset instantly recognised the voice, of course, and it wasn’t a surprise either. Why would anyone other than Twilight be here at Twilight’s house? What was surprising was the edge in her voice. Twilight was normally quite reserved, and would speak with a clear hesitance. The authority present in these words made i clear that this was more than just Twilight. This was Midnight Sparkle. “Listen Mi-” A cold hand pressed against her lips, and slowly closed her mouth. “No, no. The adult is talking.” The hand removed itself and Sunset could here the soft pacing of shoes on carpet. “Now... what are we going to do with you?” Midnight let the question hang in the air, as if waiting for an answer, but the ice in her voice made it clear it was not Sunset’s turn to speak. “We can’t kill you. That wouldn’t be good for our reputation, now would it? That being said…” Sunset could hear the sound of metal instruments scraping together as one was drawn out. “I’m sure we could get away with it” Due to her time in the darkness, Sunset’s eyes were beginning to adjust. She could almost make out Twilight’s entire body in the shadows. Not that that did her any good. She could see the glint of metal in Twilight’s hand. “But, that wouldn’t stop the girls from falling apart in grief. I think it’s beneficial for everyone, especially you, if we keep you alive.” The would be weapon was returned to its home, which Sunset assumed was in the cabinet the TV rested on. “Smuggling you out of the country wouldn't work too well either, I suppose. Believe me, the idea of tossing you back to Equestria in a burlap sack crossed the mind, but I’m sure your pretty pony head could see the issue with that.” Midnight turned around, her hands raised in a shrugging gesture. “In the end, the only option left was to capture you, and attempt some… mental reconditioning.” This did not elicit the response Midnight had been expecting. Instead of begging, or screaming even a gasp, Sunset remained unfazed. In fact, she laughed. “You know Midnight,” she began, “I take it you expected me to hurl obscenities at you, maybe plead that you let me go. I bet you expected a rushed ‘I promise I won’t tell anyone, I promise. Just please don’t hurt me!’” In the darkness, Sunset’s smile grew. “The problem with that is, I see right through your little charade here.” Sunset easily raised the strap over her head, revealing that she had been loosening it while Midnight had been trying to scare her. “Nice job with the lighting by the way. Very atmospheric.” She stood up, and in the almost non-existent light locked eyes with Midnight “Midnight Sparkle.” She said, “You are a monster.” The lights clicked on, revealing a very scared Twilight in her pajamas, gobsmacked by Sunset’s bravado. This was not going to plan at all. “That’s the appeal, isn’t it? Strong. Motivated. You know what you want, and won’t hesitate even if it means hurting others. You are everything she’s not, and everything she wants” She turned away wistfully. “In a word, perfect.” Her eyes aimed back at the figure cowering on the floor. “Isn’t that right, Twilight?” She laughed at the face that Twilight made, somewhere between fear and confusion. Pinkie would call it Confear, or fearfusion. Confearsion? “But don’t worry, I get it. Your the seductress. The temptress. She’s the heavenly angel sent down redeem you,” Sunset leaned down and brushed a hair from Twilight’s face. “And your the demon desperately clawing at her. Honestly, I think it’s wonderful.” Sunset stood up with and stretched, instantly becoming the relaxed teenager she normally was, as if the whole ‘strapping her to a chair and threatening her’ never happened. “And you can relax, I’m not going to go spreading word that you're insane, or that we didn’t properly heal you of the form you took at the friendship games. That would be cruel. There was a brief pause before Sunset started up again with a definite excitement in her voice. "I just want you to explain everything! This is just too good!” Both Twilight and Midnight were floored. Figuratively and Literally. Things were supposed to be simple. All they had to do was keep people from finding out about them for the rest of their lives. A simple task. Then came the spanner, happily finding a home within the works. The separation between the conversations they had in their head and what they said out loud was blurring making their secret even harder to keep. It was only luck that had saved them until now. But now that spanner seems to have gotten comfortable, and decided to invite it’s friends around, resulting in a whole tool box gumming up the works. Sunset Shimmer. Not only did she break into their house, but she found out about their little secret. Of course all they had to do was intimidate her into silence but nooo, now Sunset is the one standing above them while they were on the floor. Whatdowedowhatdowedowhatdowedowhatdowedowhatdowedo I would tell you to calm down but I have no ideas either. Maybe if we believe hard enough she’ll disappear? What on earth makes you think that would work? We nearly imploded the universe once! Making one person disappear shouldn’t be too hard! We’re not doing that… yet… Is it too late for Marexico? “What… Why… How?” They stammered, the mental screaming match still very much alive in Twilight’s head. Sunset stroked her chin, as if deep in thought “Well, I guess we have something in common then, Midnight.” What? What? Her eyes caught the light so they shined red when they met Twilight’s gaze. Like a feral beast staring down at its prey. “I’m a monster too.”