The numerous chains that restrain me shook together with my body as the final punishment of this day happened. However, not a single scream left my lips.
"How many times have we done this, monster?" He spoke as if talking with an old friend as my blood flown like a river from many points of my body, but I do not answer. "I think it should be around time for a human to die."
As if I do not know... The huge cut on my neck that had just torn apart my trachea and all other channels that are part of my respiratory system is a good enough proof of that point.
I heard as he closed the door of my cell and sat down on a stone a little away from it while wiping away the sweat from his forehead. "You know, I never had pleasure with that little game of ours, but I think I am really getting old. Yesterday I found a gray hair on my pillow, and all this exercise is really tiring me up nowadays."
He joked like every day. His blue hair is totally gray since 7 years ago according to my calculations.
I heard as he stood up with effort, his back was even making sounds of cracking. "But honestly, I think this should stop... But they will not allow, they are too much afraid of you," And the fact they use my blood and my body as research material are also important I think. They might be afraid of my immortality, but yet, they are thirsty to have it. "How long has it been since I started I wonder?"
"49 years..." I weakly answered his question.
"Huh? Your neck already healed? Impressive as always! And my dad?" He decided to start a conversation.
"91 years... and your grandpa lived a lot more, 166 years..." I answered in a disinterested way.
"Sometimes your memory impresses me. But I wonder how come my grandpa lived for so long..." His steps started to fade at distance. "Goodbye, Sunset. See you tomorrow!"
I imagined he waving with his right hand like he always does when leaving, but this time I can only picture it in my head because my eyes are still destroyed.
"See you tomorrow... Say hi to your daughter for me." I answered before lowering my head and try to sleep.
After all, this is just the end of another day.
Sunset slowly opened her eyes.
Again she dreamed with an old memory, and honestly, this makes no difference for her anymore. There is no sweat, no scream or any sign that she just had a bad dream.
She rolled and noticed the missing presence of her friend. "I hope she is making some coffee..." A sigh left her lips as she tried to stand up, but something was stopping the movements of her legs. She looked at it and was not surprised to see the purple dog sleeping on her legs.
Using her hand to move him can wake him up out of his usual time, and he is incredibly capable to use his bad mood against her and Twilight, so, with a wave of her hand the dog floated just a few inches and cautiously was put on his own bed.
"It is better that way," She stood up while murmuring. Such spell is so boringly easy...
She loves that peace she lives now. She loves to not have to fight over food anymore. But there is an issue with her moving.
Sure, this world is an oasis for her mind and soul, everywhere she looks is a new study object, but there is one aspect where she is not 100% happy.
She cracked her fingers and neck with a groan of frustration. After so long, her body was already accustomed to a lot of physical exercises that are no longer needed.
"You woke early today," A voice she was already used to hear caught her attention as soon as she stepped outside her room. Twilight was filtrating the coffee both of them so much enjoy. "that's unusual!"
"The scent is great today," Sunset simply answered and sat down at the table while she waits for her drink.
"Always glad to see someone that appreciates the fine art of the coffee," Twilight sat down right in front of her friend "Have you slept well?"
"Just like every day," Sunset answered and gulped a little of her coffee, and like always she wondered how come she survived so long without it. "Nothing different,"
"Well, I guess it's better than nothing," Twilight gulped from her smug and gave a small sigh of happiness as the coffee reaches her brain.
"Yeah, probably," Sunset answered and drank a little more of her coffee. "Do you have any plans for today?" She asked disinterestedly.
"More or less," Twilight stared the ceiling. "I will go to my job and then I will meet Fluttershy so she can give a look on Spike for me,"
"Fluttershy is one of the pink haired, right?" She asked filling her cup again.
"Yes,"
"And why you are going to take Spike with you?"
"She's a veterinary. When Spike fell on that fountain I did a lot of tests so I could see if he had any other collateral effect than talking, but I'm not an expert. And she is," Twilight spoke without looking at Sunset and refilled her cup too.
"That is a smart thing to do..." She said again without modulation in her voice.
"What about you? Have any plans?"
"Not really," Sunset looked at the portal. "I am doing a search of my own here, but maybe I will cross it today..."
Twilight almost split out all the coffee she had drink, but somehow managed to avoid it. "WHAT? WHY?"
"Worry not, I have no intention of staying there," She closed her eyes after she finished and allowed herself to just enjoy the hot drink that already was halfway toward her lips.
"Hum," Twilight said nothing at first, after all, what right she really have to complain? Sunset is a free (And definitely capable to take care of herself) woman. "Y-you said you were doing research, is it about this world, or magical?" She desperately tried to change the subject.
"Both I would say,"
"BOTH?" Twilight stood up making her chair fall.
"You are really loud today, are you not?" Sunset teased and with a wave of her hand the chair floated back to its place as if it never had even fallen in first place.
"Well, it's not so usual for you to do that kind of research on your own," Twilight sat down again.
"Not usual you say," Sunset smirked. "Have you ever wondered how come most scientific discoveries of your world such as the gravity never shocked me?"
"Because you're smart?" Twilight teased back.
"Nope, it was because I had a lot of free time there, and I learned by myself all I could," She gulped another portion of her coffee ignoring Twilight's expression of shock.
"Okay, now that's something," She said and took a deep breath. "But what were you intending to learn here?"
"It is not really 'learn' I would say..." She finished her cup and filled it again. The coffee is already half empty by now. "'Proving' would be a better word. But it is something about portals."
"Portals? Plural?" Twilight asked.
"Yes, Plural. But it is not happening at the speed I predicted. But the reason I am going back is just that I am feeling a little rusty right now," She said exercising her shoulder by making some circles.
"Rusty you say..." Twilight also drank a little more. "As much as I want to discuss this portal thing, I think this is a little more important now,"
"Seriously?" Sunset teased her friend again. "Now, THAT is something we should investigate."
"What, can't I be worried about you?" Twilight blushed a little.
"I am sorry," Sunset chuckle a little. "I just thought the magic would be your priority,"
"Anyway, sadly I don't think someone in this world can help you with that," Twilight stood up and went toward the kitchen. "I mean, we could ask if Chuck Norris is free, but I don't think this will be the case,"
"That is a shame, I would like to have someone to train a little with me," Sunset turned her gaze toward the ceiling and shrugged. "But honestly, I do not think I can take anyone seriously without ending up killing them," She held the knife and spread a little butter over the toast, but accidentally she broke it and gained a small cut on her finger.
Twilight that had just turned away at first was not capable to see it, but for a reason, she was not aware she decided to turn again, and that is when she saw a fine line of blood on sunset's finger. Like a mother that just saw her kid getting hurt, she instantly closed their distance and held Sunset's hand close to her eyes. "Let me see... It..."
However, there was nothing to be seen but an invisible scar that disappeared after just a few more seconds.
Sunset looked at her hand with a puzzled expression that was hard to understand, but Twilight was trying anyway. And with a sad expression, she asked. "Are you alright?"
"Of course," Sunset's voice is empty and cold. She turned toward the mirror abruptly and for a single second all her body shine. When the glow disappeared and Twilight finally was able to see again she saw that Sunset's pajamas had disappeared and on its place, she was wearing long jeans with orange details and a sleeveless blue blouse. "I am always alright..."
Twilight stretched her hand as Sunset waved goodbye without looking back.
It took no longer than a second for Sunset to step outside the mirror, and not even all the spin that is a usual part of the travel was enough to break her concentrated expression.
She gave a deep breath. As soon as she got herself back to her original world she felt... New.
Her body that was rusty just a minute ago was now comfortable as if it has just been turned on. The desert air was so familiar as the total lack of human presences.
She walked toward the closed window expecting to see the big monster that is now the master of this place, but it was nowhere near to be seen. She stretched her arm toward the window but stopped midway while looking at her own slim fingers and a furious grin crossed her face.
"That was stupid..." She barely touched a support beam with her hand closed in a fist and it instantly disintegrates against her sheer brute force. But that was not a surprise.
She watched the landscape wondering where could a giant monster like the Tatzwurm be hiding in such a place, and a second after that she jumped through the hole where one day should have a window without thinking twice,
She landed on the familiar sand that kept her company during centuries and instantly entered in combat mode.
She adjusted her senses and even analyzed her surroundings by sensing any signal of presence anywhere near her actual spot, something that was not really necessary on the other side of the mirror.
However, it was not necessary to see something surprisingly in front of her eyes.
Laying on the hot sand is the monster she had been searching for. She quickly closed their distances and put one of her hand on it. A quick spell told her that it still lives, but its state is critical, even if she cannot see a sign of claws, bites or any external damage.
How come she has not seen it from above? She gave a few steps back until she steps on a strange patterned shadow and looked attentively. The sand is starting to bury it alive as if it was like that for hours.
She narrowed her eyes. She surely never went against it with all her strength, but it never took more than an hour for it to awake.
Wait, shadow?
Turning her face toward the sky she could see a monster sitting on top of the Tatzwurm, It is ridiculously small when comparing against the same, but that did not make it even a little less dangerous. It has around 10 feet tall and white skin, three dragon-like heads and claws that makes even Sunset a little jealous, a funny thing given the fact she does not have claws in her actual form.
Looking at it she again tried to feel any presence, but it is as if it is not even there. And for the first time in a long time, millenniums even, she had a disgusting feeling. The instinct of killing. Every little part of her body and mind seemed to agree that the only solution is to murder that thing as brutally and painfully as possible.
"She had been waiting for you," The monster spoke with a very masculine and yet calm voice.
"Waiting for me?" He spoke so naturally that she could not help but answering back.
"Yes, the only person that still lives here is expecting to see you again," His phrase was simple, however, it hit sunset like a punch on her face.
"Why would she be wanting to see me?" She asked with her voice trembling a little. Not because of fear or such feeling, but purely because she is not sure she really wants to know the answer.
"Well, if I have to bet, I would say it is not for the reason you want,"
Sunset's eyes narrowed again as she let a small fraction of her killing intent run wild, and with that, the very world felt her anger. The never-ending heat of morning on the desert got colder than its frightful night, the monsters from a mile away could feel such ferocity and decided that the wiser thing to do is to hide. But the monster does not even change his expression. "Oh, yeah? And how can you be so sure of what I want?"
"Maybe it is because I see a lot of myself in you," His eyes began to glow with an intense and fearsome light, and just now Sunset truly paid it any attention. They are red like a ruby.
"After such compliment, I think I will never change the way I live. I mean, what could be better than having three heads?" She answered with sarcasm clear on her voice.
"Then you should start by doing something with your girlfriend. I think she is still waiting for you to come back,"
The time literally slowed down as Sunset broke the barrier of the sound and closed the distance between her and the monster with a punch so powerful it seemed to break the very air. "Leave. Twilight. Out. Of. THIS!" Her fury was clearer than water on a calm lake.
The monster did not move a little bit. Her fist is stopped a single cm from the middle one of his heads by something black but extremely hard. "What a surprise, I think she have more sense of humor than you,"
"Well, then why do you not laugh at THIS?" Sunset used her power to control the very air to give her impulse, but instead of using it to gain in a competition of force she literally jumped a second time in midair and used her leg to give a kick even more powerful than her last strike.
"If you insist," To her big surprise that black thing that looks like shadows are ACTUALLY SHADOWS, born on his back and falling across his back like strange wings. And those shadows wasted no time and strongly held her leg within a powerful grip before forcefully spinning her through the air a few times and sending the red-haired girl flying toward a building almost a mile away. "Hahaha," The monster indeed laughed, however, not a single trace of humor or amusement laid within it.
The big trace of smoke left behind after the impact had yet to disappear when she attacks again, this time she instantly appeared closer than ever before already punching again, but this time her fist is shinning with a golden light. "Might I give you a piece of small advice? It is not good to be so cocky,"
The magic around her fist grew in heat and exploded in a massive series of hellish flames that burned everything she wanted, and yet did not affect the big monster below. Sunset teleport again, this time away from the monster but still capable to see the smoke. "Or in the end, you might get burned by your own pride," She finished her phrase while still looking at it.
And that is when she felt it. With a speed far exceeding any monster she had ever faced the shadows cut through the smoke and pierced through her body. She looked down surprised. Not because it hurt or something like that, but simply because she could not remember when is the last time she had been hit. "Might I give you a piece of small advice? It is not good to be so cocky," From the smoke of an explosion that not even a fully grown up dragon could have survived easily a soft and calm voice spoke. The monster had not moved even an arm and still looked down on her, a gaze she did not give back immediately. "What is wrong? This is not enough to hurt you, I guess."
Sunset looked back at him with a plain expression. "Wound me? Yes. Hurt me? Not even in your wildest dreams." She used her hand to hold the shadow firmly, and after a single second all of it froze despite the horrible sun.
"Hm..." For the first time, he showed a sign of amusement as she pressed the frozen shadows with so much force that it shattered. "Now, that was interesting,"
"Interesting you say..." She looked at him with eyes far colder than his own. "Then tell me, what do you think about this?" Sunset's body begins to undergo a change. Her skin becomes red, she grows claws, wings, and a tail, and her red and yellow hair looks like fire
"So, there it is..." His voice was not chocked or even amused, it is more as if he is a grown up seeing a golden fish on a fair. He just seems like he does not care.
Sunset wide opened her new wings and went toward the sky hundreds of times faster than she was capable before.
She stopped a few hundreds of meters above the monster and spread both her arms toward the sky, where a giant ball of fire started to gain shape. At first a little bigger than her own body, and then twice it's size. The giant ball of fire continued to multiply its size over and over again, to the point where when she finished, it looks like a miniature sun. "Then take THIS!"
"Hm?" For the first time, the monster was truly surprised. 'Is she going to kill her friend too?' That was something he had not predicted but is still happening in front of his eyes.
Sunset trowed the giant flames toward the monster, but his wings did not move at all. Instead, this time he lifted his left arm toward it. The impact of the albino hand against the scarlet flames LITERALLY started to break the very air that surrounds them, and around them, numerous red portals started to appear apparently for no reason.
But that did not last long.
Sunset Shimmer dived into the impossibly hot flames and went toward the monster. When she got close enough she concentrated all the flames around her arm, creating the fierier punch that ever exists and went all out against the monster's heart...
But she hit nothing.
"WHAT?" With an exclamation of doubt, she looked back as she descends toward the ground looks like slow motion. The right head of the monster is also looking at her, and it has not moved from its spot, which means she passed through it.
She landed and blinked once, and just now she noticed the many portals around them.
"Your theory is that the naturally formed portals appears in reaction to the magic present on the world, is it not?" The monster asked while looking into three different portals that lead to different places. "When you got there you thought the only fountain of relevant power is yourself, and that is the reason a natural portal should appear to you, am I right?"
Sunset's demoniac form faded away leaving behind just the girl she always had been. "What... Who are you?" She asked while looking at him, and for the first time, he smiled.
"Just a viewer who would like to see the end of this act," He answered and literally faded away.
Sunset scratched the back of her head with a troubled expression as the many portals disappeared one by one. Her hair is a mess and her favorite blouse received a big cut (without counting the blood). "I think Twilight is going to kill me," She murmured to herself wondering if the reason is going to be because she was just too worried about her or because she is going to have a psychotic outbreak after she explains the way the naturally formed portals works.