The door to the lab opened and Rarity poked her head through. "I think we'll be safe here for the moment."
She held the door open and ushered the three girls inside.
"Um, Rarity?" Sweetie Belle asked nervously. "Don't they usually keep the labs locked?"
Rarity pursed her lips. Sweetie had a point. Unless the lab was holding a class, they were locked at all times. And since the lights were still off, and the room was empty....
Well, mostly empty.
"Close the door!" Lightning Dust hissed. She was in the back of the room, looking through one of the cabinets. "And keep it down! You want that bitch to hear us?"
"How did you get in here?" Rarity asked, wrinkling her nose in disdain at the use of crass language. Scootaloo closed the door. "And what on earth are you doing?"
"It's called a lock-pick, genius." Lightning snarked, rolling her eyes. "And what's it look like? I'm trying to find something useful. Either help me or get lost."
Lightning suddenly paused and slowly turned to get a good look at the group.
"Wait a second....." Her eyes narrowed, and she pointed an accusatory finger at Apple Bloom. "You! You're the girl from the video! You're the reason all this shit's happening!"
She marched her way over to the frightened girl, but was immediately blocked by Rarity.
"Out of my way, princess."
But Rarity would not budge. Despite her dolled-up appearance and prima donna mannerisms, she was no push-over. "If you think for one second I will stand by and let you harm one hair one her head-"
"You certainly didn't do anything when everyone was giving Shimmer hell." Lightning pointed out. She smirked as Rarity flinched. "That little shit-stain's been screwing around with everyone for over a week! Just what's stopping me from tossing her ass out there and letting Shimmer do whatever to her?"
"Because it wouldn't do you any good."
Everyone froze at the voice that echoed throughout the room. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle clung tightly to Apple Bloom, who was shaking profusely.
A flash of red light, and Sunset Shimmer appeared directly in front of Lightning, who stumbled back in shock.
"Throwing Apple Bloom at my feet like a sacrificial lamb would not absolve you of your sins. All it would get you is an extra" Sunset paused in thought. "seven seconds at most."
"S-Sunset?" Rarity whimpered. She hadn't wanted to believe it, but the proof was right here in front of her. Sunset Shimmer had indeed undergone a demonic transformation. And this time, there was nothing she could do to stop her.
Sunset didn't take her eyes off Lightning. "I'll be with you in a minute, Rarity. I just have some garbage that needs to be taken care of."
"Y-You stay away from me." Lightning stuttered, backing away slowly.
"Or what? You'll beat me up again?" Sunset paused, then smirked. "Actually, that's not a bad idea."
Everyone gaped at Sunset in confusion.
Sunset's bare feet touched the floor, and she put her hands on her hips. "Believe it or not, I've gotten incredibly bored. I could use a challenge." She gave Lightening a pointed look. "I'm giving you the chance to save yourself, Lightning Dust. I want you -yes you - to hit me as hard as you can."
Lightning narrowed her eyes. This had to be a trick. "Oh really-"
"Now, when I say, 'hard as you can', I don't mean 'sort of hard'. I don't mean 'half-way hard'. I want you to literally. Hit me. As. Hard. As. You. Can."
Lightning clenched her fist. "And if I refuse to play along?"
Sunset shrugged. "Then I roast you alive and be done with it. Though really, passing up a chance to save your sorry hide?" Sunset gave a condescending look. "Kind of starting to see why they picked Rainbow as captain over you."
That did it. In the back of her head, Lightning knew that she was baiting her, that this whole thing was a trap. Sadly, Lightning's ego was even bigger than her rainbow-haired rival's, and she was not about to take that comment lying down.
Her fist struck Sunset's face. It was like hitting a concrete wall. Sunset hadn't budged an inch.
"Perhaps I didn't make myself clear the first time." Sunset mused. She was clearly enjoying this. "So allow me to repeat myself. You. Me. Hard as you can. Clear?"
"Crystal." Lightning snarled, and launched herself at Sunset. She punched and kicked her with everything she had. And to her credit, she actually managed to push the she-demon back.
But in the end it really made no difference. Sunset didn't have a scratch on her, while Lightning was panting and her knuckles were completely bloody.
"Well, that was fun." Sunset said. "But I'm bored now."
She pointed a finger at Lightning, who was levitated off the ground. She slammed Lightning into the wall. Hard.
And into the opposite wall.
And onto the ceiling.
And the floor.
And into the cabinet in the back of the room. Lightning could only whimper in pain.
Sunset made a pulling motion, and Lightning was dragged in front of her, then spun around so her back was facing Sunset.
"You sure are proud of your athletic abilities, Lightening." Sunset said darkly. She ran a finger down Lightning's spine. "It would sure be a shame if you lost them."
Lightning's eyes widened at the implications. "W-what're you- GAAH!!!"
Lightning let out a gurgled scream as she felt something stab and twist itself into the base of her spine. Her entire body was on fire.....and then it was completely numb.
Lightning's eyes rolled into the back of her head as tears ran down her face. She couldn't even scream anymore.
She didn't even feel it when she was dropped to the floor like a rag doll.
Sunset placed her hands on her hips. "Well, that takes care of that." She turned. "Now to deal with you."
Rarity and the girls were still here, cowering in the corner. Their minds were so clouded with fear and confusion that it didn't even occur to them to run. Not that it would've done them any good.
Sunset made a swiping motion, as if she were swatting a fly, and Apple Bloom was forcefully pulled away from the group.
Green flames shot up around her, then disappeared to reveal a large metal cage.
"Apple Bloom!" Her friends immediately came to their friend's aid, pulling at the bars and kicking the cage. It obviously did no good.
"It's no use!" Apple Bloom cried. "Go on without me!"
"Are you crazy?!" Scootaloo yelled. "We're not leaving you here to be killed!"
"Better me than you!"
"You know, you're very lucky to even be having this conversation." Sunset pointed out, irritated. "I'm being very generous right now."
Apple Bloom looked at Sunset, then back at her friends. "Go!"
Very reluctantly, Sweetie and Scootaloo took Rarity's hands and ran out the door.
Sunset idly watched them leave, then floated over to the cage.
Apple Bloom tried to put on a brave face. "Sunset....Ah know Ah messed up. Big time. All this is mah fault, so do whatever ya want with me. Ah deserve it."
Sunset raised an eyebrow. "Why bother? You've already screwed yourself over."
Apple Bloom was shocked.
Sunset leaned in. "You think me doing all of this is going to make everyone forget what you did? You confessed. And just like the secrets you posted, it is never going to go away. No one will ever forget what you did." She pretended to look thoughtful. "Oh sure. They'll pretend they've moved on. That they've forgiven you. They may even believe it at one point. But they'll never forget. They'll never let you forget. Trust me, I know."
Apple Bloom looked sick.
"But perhaps I'm not being completely fair. After all....." Sunset's eyes narrowed. "you're not the only one at fault, are you?"
Apple Bloom realized Sunset's implications, and shook her head in denial. "No! It was all me! Only me! They had nothin' to do with it!"
Sunset rolled her eyes. "You're a terrible liar, you know that? Hard to believe you and Applejack are related."
She began to float away. "You may as well get comfortable. You're gonna be in there for a while."
Apple Bloom gripped the bars of her cage, shouting desperately for Sunset to come back!
"It's not their fault! It was mah idea! I'M the guilty one! Punish me! PUNISH MEEEEEE!!!!!!"
As Sunset floated down the hall, she passed a display case full of trophies. She paused, then turned, her eyes narrowed.
Her reflection was staring back at her. Her arms were now almost completely black, with only the tops of her shoulders showing pale grey. She also noticed that the black veins were now crawling up her neck.
Sunset raised an eyebrow. Well.....that was new.
She continued down the hall. Oh well....it wouldn't matter soon anyway.