Sunset couldn’t shake the thoughts from her mind. Going through the empty halls of the school now just seemed like walking in a graveyard. The news had spread throughout the whole school and there was a deep, somber feeling in the air. Sunset was grasped the straps of her backpack with her fingers, tense and ready to snap. People were murmuring in hushed voices all around her. An old anger stirred deep inside her. Anger she hadn’t felt in years. She let out a long sigh as she reached her locker. She just couldn’t shake the events from the previous day. The way her friends told her to let the authorities handle it. How Rainbow was still nowhere to be seen. It just… it didn't make any sense!
“Sugarcube?” Applejack said as she swung open her own locker. Her eyes were bleary and she looked as if she hadn't slept in a week. “You feeling alright today?I know it’s tough, but we gotta be strong.” She let out a sigh as she retrieved her books for the upcoming class.
“Alright?! How can I be alright when one of my friends is missing, and the other one is dead~!” She griped her locker door and slammed it shut, nearly causing a dent. The aggression she was emitting was stronger than anything she had shown since her transformation. “I want so badly to change things, to feel like something I have done will make things better. I want to mend the things that maybe I can’t tend to properly.” She felt a hot tear begin to roll down her face. She had cried so much lately. The lack of any more tears to shed was becoming more apparent. She didn’t know if there was room for any more. “I just want to be there. I want to be able to help Fluttershy.” She said as she passed Applejack. She then proceeded to bump headfirst into Flash. She was about to say hello when her eyes flashed lit up in a bright, white light.
“Whoa, whoa Fluttershy. Calm down~!” Flash said as he looked down at her. He then quickly knelt beside her. Fluttershy had collapsed to her knees, crying in the middle of the empty school hallway. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Flash, I’m scared… They’re following me.” Fluttershy was a mess, Her pink hair looking frazzled and unkempt. “I don’t know who they are or what they want but they... just won't… STOP FOLLOWING ME~!”
“Ok, ok.” Flash said, his hands trembling. “Come on, stand up. You're causing quite the scene down there.” Flash said as he reached out his hand for her to take. Fluttershy was shaky as she slowly took it. He stood up slowly as he helped her to her feet.
“I can’t sleep… I can’t even have my privacy… I know I should talk to my friends about it… My parents should know as well… I just don’t want them to worry about me.” Fluttershy looked toward the ground as she was gripped her hands into fists in an uncharacteristically aggressive action. Fluttershy didn’t look like herself. Flash felt his phone start to vibrate. He quickly took it out of his pocket, swiping on the screen. The date was the day before she would be murdered. Flash looked back to where Fluttershy was, only to see she was gone. He looked around and saw she was down the hall. She seemed to be wandering. That was when he saw a wispy shadow go around the corner. Fluttershy turned to follow it.
“Wait! Fluttershy~!” Flash shouted, his body filling with dread at the ominous looking shadow. “Fluttershy, don’t follow it~!” He was sprinting at full speed toward her. He turned the corner. He was met face to face with something he couldn't see clearly, phasing in and out of vision. It began to speak in a deep and hard to distinguish voice.
“You can’t get rid of us.”
Sunset’s eyes stopped glowing as the memory ran its course. Somehow, it seemed like the memory was being extracted from Flash and put into her. The sensation was excruciating for him, as it seemed the memory was being stripped from him while still in a conscious state.
Sunset reared back and fell against the lockers behind her. She instantly went out cold.
~~~
Rainbow slowly opened her eyes as she felt subtle pain flowing through her. She wished badly to be with her friends right now. These sirens may be helping her, but she was still wary and uncertain if they had shared their true motives. She found she had a hard time trusting them completely. Really, though. Who could blame her? Last she saw them, they had taken over her entire school with mind control magic in a bid for world domination.
“Well, well, well… You're finally awake.” The voice of Aria drifted into her ears. She was looming over the doorway that framed the room, Her dark purple eyes baring into her. “Not trying to be cruel, but I vouched for you to be left out there. Oh wait, yes I did.” Aria rolled her eyes as she recalled her leader's dumb decision to help out the brash Rainbow Dash.
“Yeah, figured you were the cold hearted one.” Rainbow said as she sat up straight, violet eyes gazing back at the mulberry colored girl. “What, do think your words are intimidating?” She crossed her arms in defiance against the aggressor.
“No, not really. On the other hand, they are extremely fun to say. You know, you and your friends took everything away from me.” Aria said in a steely voice.
“You were attempting world domination. You know, something that's wrong and highly illegal. We had no choice but to stop you.” Rainbow rolled her eyes as well at the sirens tone.
“I’ve got an idea! Maybe you both pipe down.” Adagio said, gliding into the room. Her hair gleamed in the light that came through the window. “However, Rainbow, I do believe I said not to get on my bad side. If you would kindly drop the subject and stop fighting with my sister, then we’ll have no issues. Aria, be a dear and, do leave the room.” Adagio looked at her fellow pack member as she gave a wide toothed smile. Aria left with a grunt.
“Sorry… As I said, I am very thankful for what you have done for me. I just… need time to warm up to you guys. I think of all people you can understand my distrust toward you.” Rainbow gave a small smile as she attempted to stand. Adagio did not stop her but simply watched.
“I would think all species differences and past aggressions would’ve been set aside when I saved you. I have seen you humans evolve into what you all are today. I was banished for thousands of years here. I have caused plenty of harm. The biggest thing I have learned about your species: you don’t let go.” Adagio blew her bang out of her eyesight. “Despite my kindness, you won't let go of what was and accept what is.”
“Wow...that's a little harsh.” Rainbow replied She knew it was true, in a way. She even actually started to feel regret. Adagio and her pals weren’t ponies and they weren’t humans. They were their own species, driven by a power hungry instinct that they had no control over. An instinct that Rainbow and her friends punished them for. When she thought about it that way, it seemed pretty cruel.
“Maybe I was a bit blunt. Though I felt the need to express it. I’m not the stone hearted sea dragon you may think I am. After all, not every ocean is cold.” Adagio watched as Rainbow stood up once again.
“Seriously. Thank you again… I really do appreciate it.” Rainbow thought for a moment and then looked at the leading Siren. She held out a hand suddenly to her.
“Friends?”
~~~
Sunset slowly opened her eyes to see she was in the nurse's office. Her cyan eyes darted around, looking at her surroundings. She was clammy and sweaty as she was laying in a cot. She was all alone for the moment. She still had the last viewed memory flashing in her mind. What the hell had Flash seen? She got the feeling that there was far more to this tragedy than even the cops could handle.
She was certain of one thing: that there was more than one of these… things that were following Fluttershy. What kind of creature could wield mind erasing abilities? There weren't any Equestrians that she could recall. Sunset wasn’t feeling very good. Her stomach was queasy and sick feeling. When she moved to try and sit up she felt acid reflux rise up and burn her esophagus, creating a terrible taste in her mouth. Her eyes widened as she frantically scanned around for some kind of bucket, or even a trash can.
She threw her head over the side of the cot. There! Her hair dangled in front of her face as she hurled it all out into the provided trash can. Her powers were on the friz as every nearby thought was broadcasting out to her from the office area. She was hearing things they weren’t saying. Her eyes were occasionally flashing with bright light. She didn't know how, but that last memory scrambled her powers. Sunset clenched one of her hands on the right side of her forehead as she rolled onto the floor. She couldn't scream, it was so painful. The nurse heard the thump and saw her on the ground. She immediately raced in and reached out to try and help her up.
“No, please! Don’t touch me!” Sunset pulled away not wanting to see any more unnecessary memories and thoughts. The nurse looked baffled as she reached out anyways, grabbing Sunset by the arm. Sunset’s eyes instantly lit up in a bright flash upon the nurse grabbing her. She was about to be led into a memory she didn't even need to know. Or so she thought…
~~~
“ Is she going to be alright?” Flash said, as he walked through the doorway with Sunset’s friends in tow, looking at the nurse.
“She should be… She may have a minor concussion from hitting her head on those lockers. Other than that, she should be fine when she wakes up.” The nurse was writing on a piece of paper. “I suggest you all get to class now before the bell rings and you all get a tardy.” The nurse turned, exposing a couple of scars on her wrists, before she hastily pulled her gloves back over them. She then gave a cheery smile to dissuade any concerns. She let out an awkward cough as she watched them leave. The nurse was looking at her paper, then became frozen for a moment. Her entire body started to shake. Then everything went black.
~~~
Sunset awoke from her faint once more as she felt dizzy and lightheaded.
“ Excuse me? Nurse? I need a pass home.” Sunset said as she could feel her magic going crazy, sapping what little energy she had. She needed to get out of here, and she needed to learn to control this new power. At first, she was just so... so eager to help, to find the truth, to avenge Fluttershy. But the path to truth was just getting deeper and darker. She didn’t even know much. But she had an edge. Whatever had killed Fluttershy was leaving a trail. A trail within the depths of the minds around her. She just had to figure out everyone who had seen Fluttershy the days before her death. Most of all, she needed Rainbow. The one who was there when it happened. Rainbow would be a huge breakthrough for the case. She couldn't remember much, but maybe with a third wheel spinning, there would be a chance of figuring it out.