//------------------------------// // T: Trigger's Decision / I Know Who You Are // Story: Kamen Rider Unicorn // by Michael_Ravencroft //------------------------------// The blast sent both Unicorn and Trigger flying in different directions. Trigger slammed through a few trees before finally coming to a stop. The law enforcer Rider groaned in pain from hitting so many trees, as well as the explosion that jettisoned him. After a moment to clear his head, Trigger went on the search for Unicorn. She had protected him from the brunt of the attack, as strong as she was, Trigger was certain she would be more injured than he was. A flash of orange light caught his attention and Trigger, although limping, hurriedly made his way to that spot. Thankfully, he managed to get closer, and spotted…something that he didn’t think he’d see, Sunset Shimmer, in the arms of that Kamen Rider Ghost. She seemed to be a little disoriented as she shook her head, but then got back to her feet. Trigger used his advanced gear to pick up on their voices, and hearing how the two interacted, it seemed that Ghost was somewhat familiar with her. But really, what drew his eye was that Sunset Shimmer had the same Driver as Unicorn. < UNICORN! > “Henshin!” > UNICORN! < Trigger continued to watch in shock as the high schooler transformed into the vigilante he had been after for so long, the one who has been fighting the monsters since before he became a Kamen Rider. The girl whom his little sister had fallen in love with and become girlfriends with, was in fact, Kamen Rider Unicorn. He continued to watch as both her and Ghost transformed into some kind of celestial, angelic forms and took off for the monster they were fighting. Later, when all was said and done, Shining Armor sat in his squad car, his mind unable to let him stop thinking about what he saw. Sunset Shimmer was Kamen Rider Unicorn, it kept ringing in his head, to the point that he didn’t even realize that he had driven back home until he pulled up into the driveway. When he arrived, the inside of the house was done up in Halloween decorations, Twilight’s friends, including Twilight herself, were all downstairs, in full costume, just having a good time. Cadance was there as well, already suited up in her witch costume, a full black dress with a tattered skirt, and a pointy, wide brimmed hat, along with his parents. The whole while, Shining couldn’t stop his gaze from falling on Sunset Shimmer, an ember of anger was growing inside him. How can she smile like that, he thought. She’s fooling everyone here, even Twily! She’s a dangerous vigilante and she’s just partying like that whole thing never happened! Now that he thought about it, there were numerous times, with each monster incident, that Sunset would act nonchalant and completely oblivious. Oh, she was good, she knew how to wear a mask of complete ignorance. Sunset wielded dangerous power, was wanted by the police, and doing it all right under his nose. Shining Armor knew there was something not right about Sunset Shimmer, and that was just from her rap sheet from CHS. The girl could manipulate people easily and appear like the innocent victim when all along she was the genius mastermind. She was fooling him, fooling Twilight, his family, their friends, everyone. And Shining Armor wasn’t going to have it anymore. That’s why he took her aside, that’s why he confronted her away from everyone, and that’s why now Sunset Shimmer had a look of absolute horror plastered on her face. “I…I…” “Don’t deny it, Shimmer. If need be I can show you the footage from my helmet from the battle,” said Shining Armor. Sunset was sweating bullets, swallowing a lump in her throat as she tried to compose herself, trying to think of a way out of this situation. “W-W-Well, if you have it, then show me. Otherwise, these are just baseless accusations.” Shining Armor reached into his pants pocket, pulled out his cellphone, and played a video. Sunset watched it, watched herself get rescued by Ghost and transform into Unicorn, and all the blood in her body went cold. “I don’t accuse without evidence, but I guess back in the old days, you didn’t need that.” Shining Armor stated. Sunset slowly moved towards Shining Armor as she said, “Shining Armor, I–!” “How long?” Sunset stopped. “‘How long’, what?” Shining Armor slammed his fist against the counter as he glared at Sunset Shimmer. “How long have you been Unicorn?! Was it before or after you started seducing my little sister?!” Sunset got genuinely angry at that. “I didn’t ‘seduce’ Twilight! I love her, if nothing else you believe, then believe that!” “You know, I’d like to, but considering that you haven’t been outright truthful to begin with, makes it less likely for me to believe even that! So, tell me, how long?!” Shining asked again. Sunset sighed heavily as she said, “Almost a year…it started when the Emerald Pillar shot up from the city and scattered the Gaia Memories around the city. The ones that you and I have, they’re the special ones, and more powerful. Mine sought me out…” “And you just decided to become a vigilante from that point on?! You didn’t think to hand a strange device like that over to the police as soon as you got it?!” Sunset’s eyes narrowed as she looked up at the tall, broad man. “Look, a lot of weird stuff happens around me and my friends, magic related stuff!” Shining Armor rolled his eyes. “Oh please, are you seriously going to spout that crap? I heard about CHS’ Battle of the Bands, a lot of people said the ‘Rainbooms’ beat a girl band trio with magic music or some BS like that, and then I heard about the Friendship Games from some of my friends’ younger siblings and they went on about how Twilight became some dark – apparently – ugh – ‘sexy’ – angel of death and ripped holes in the fabric of reality. And that some girl went Super Saiyan, fought her, saved Twily, and saved reality.” Sunset rubbed the back of her head as she blushed. “I wouldn’t say ‘Super Saiyan’…” Shining Armor slapped his forehead as he dragged his hand down his face. “Look, I’ll admit, since this whole monster thing has gone on, I’ve had to broaden my view of the world. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a nerd to the core, and part me actually finds this all fun, being a superhero and all, but you’re not about to tell me that magic – actual magic – exists in this world!” “Look, I know it’s hard to believe, but it does, me and my friends have it, and we’ve saved the world at least two times over before I ever became a Kamen Rider! And I did save Twilight from becoming a monster!” Sunset added. “Granted, and thanks, now, please, never see Twily again!” Shining Armor ordered. “Excuse me?!” “I need to think of what I need – or rather should – do with you! In the meantime, you aren’t to be alone with her or anywhere near her! As far as I’m concerned, Sunset Shimmer, you’re just as dangerous as those criminals that attack innocent people! You’ve been lying from day one, and I can’t trust you around my little sister or my family!” Sunset tried to figure out a counter to this situation, but none was coming to mind. “You’ll finish out this party, go home, and tomorrow, you will not interact with Twilight more than is necessary.” Shining Armor glared daggers into the young teen before him. “Do I make myself clear? Or do I have to show this video to your friends, my girlfriend, and my parents? Better yet, do you want me to show this to my Captain?” Sunset looked down at the ground, defeated. “No…” Shining Armor ran his right hand through his hair as she sighed heavily. “Go…and remember what I said.” ***__________)T(__________*** It was now November, almost a week had passed since the Fanghoul incident, and Shining Armor was still struggling with what he knew. Sitting at his desk, in his private office, he looked over all the different cases which Unicorn was involved in, going back to the first monster attack and Unicorn’s first appearance. On a digital board, Shining used the Emerald Pillar event as a starting point. Going forward a few days, there was an incident inside the school’s gymnasium where there was extensive damage, more than the rest of the building. It was later ruled that it was due to the earthquake breaking open a gas line and sparking into an explosion. But then again, what if that was, in actuality, the first instance of Sunset becoming Unicorn? The next line brought him to the blue raptor monster. The one immediately following that was the attack that Garble committed to try and kill him and his little sister. It made more sense now that he knew Sunset was Unicorn, she came to Twilight’s rescue. The third case was that of Crystal Prep, his old stomping grounds. Reports had said that the Vice Principal of CHS, along with Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle went to the school as a kind of ambassadorship, but somehow got mixed up with something that was controlling the students of Crystal Prep. “And yet again, Unicorn appeared and saved the day, as if she knew exactly where the trouble was,” said Shining. For the longest time, Shining Armor believed Unicorn had some kind of sixth sense when it came to danger, but in reality, Sunset Shimmer was more than likely close by whenever a monster crime was happening. “Wait…if that’s the case then…!” Shining Armor dug through his reports and looked up the third case. The underground casino run by Gladmane, he used a Gaia Memory to trap peoples lifeforce in coins according to reports. “Hold on, does that mean she went to an illegal underground gambling ring?! Never mind their lax age restriction – or lack-there-of – how the hell did she have enough money to even do anything in there?!” Shining managed to keep his mind from exploring darker theories on what else Sunset Shimmer could be doing in there and moved on to other cases. Every which way that Shining Armor approached the different monster cases, when he factored in Sunset Shimmer; it began to make much more sense, even… “The mall…!” Shining Armor smacked himself in the forehead. “She…She didn’t run away to leave Twilight, she…she left to change to fight that monster…! Great, not only do I have to apologize for calling her a coward, but now I have to thank her for saving Twily…………I’m not too fond of the former but the latter I’m fine with.” All of this was spinning around in Shining Armor’s head, even the fight with the two female monsters that almost killed her… “Sunset Shimmer almost died…” Shining Armor was becoming conflicted, on the one hand he had at one time believed Unicorn was behind the creation of the monsters, but then Equal showed up and showed her true colors as the mastermind. Before that Nasca came along and he had no idea what to make of her, of any of this. Unicorn was a vigilante in the eyes of the law, a guardian hero to the people, an underage minor in possession of dangerous power, a friend to others, a menace in the past, and the girlfriend of his little sister. *Knock!* *Knock!* Shining Armor looked away from his digital board and saw his friend from Crystal Prep, and back in the Police Academy, Spearhead. “‘Sup, Shining? Whoa, you’re really hitting this whole Unicorn Case hard, aren’t you?” “Heh, heh, kinda…yeah…hey, can we talk, there’s just some things about this that don’t make sense,” said Shining Armor. “Sure, dude, let’s go!” Spearhead replied. Both officers went around the block to a deli shop, of course, since Shining Armor’s identity as a Kamen Rider was known, it wasn’t unusual for people to come up to him and request an autograph, and for some women to slip him their phone numbers. When the two sat down outside to eat, Spearhead merely chuckled. “You better not let Cadance see you with any of those,’ said Spearhead. “She knows about them, and I can’t honestly throw them away, Cadance says that I have to be careful not to trample on the hearts of young women,’” said Shining Armor. “Say what?” “Basically, don’t be a d-bag and throw away their phone numbers in front of them, it’s not like they know I’m taken.” Spearhead nodded in understanding. “Got it, got it, yeah, you’ve been trying to keep the press off of Cadance for a bit. So, what’s this about, you look serious?” Shining Armor closed his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest as he thought for a moment. He then opened his eyes and looked directly at his friend, “What do you think about Kamen Rider Unicorn?” Spearhead blinked and then glanced about, he then leaned in and whispered in a conspiratorial tone, “Dude…am I on the radar for something?” “What?! No, dude, seriously, I want to know your opinion!” Shining insisted. “Huh…it’s just, you never really asked before, you were always ‘Unicorn’s a vigilante and must be brought to justice!’ I mean, you kinda sound like one of those cliché guys from comics who can’t see the vigilante as a good guy even though they do good things…no offense,” said Spearhead with a light blush. Shining Armor sighed. “None taken, and you’re right, I have been like that. But, I guess I’m trying to take a different approach to this whole Unicorn thing, so, tell me, what do you think about her?” Spearhead sat back in his chair as he pondered that question, wanting to give as honest an answer as he could. “Honestly…I think she’s hot.” *Snap!* “Oops, broke my fork. But, REALLY, you think she’s ‘hot’? You ever stop to think that underneath that armor she could be a teenage girl? Like, jailbait age? Or could be some guy in drag?” Shining Armor asked. Spearhead’s expression fell instantly. “Well when you put it that way…” the detective took a sip of his soft drink and continued. “Okay, beyond that, real talk now. I admire her for what she’s doing, I mean, the cop part of me is still suspicious and critical at times, but overall, I think she’s a hero.” “But, have you ever thought about why she does what she does? I mean, what does she gain from this?” “Well, just gotta do process of elimination. I don’t think she’s doing this for money, with all that power she has, there are definitely easier ways to get money than save people. Plus, she never asks for a reward, and there was that news report on CCNN,” said Spearhead. Shining Armor thought back to Sunset’s file, remembering how it was said she would extort favors and other things from her fellow students, if she did do something good, it would be for her benefit and everything else was a happy accident. “Then do you think she’s behind these monster attacks? Maybe she’s working with Equal?” Shining asked. “Dude, no way, I totally get a supervillain vibe from her! Plus, she’s fought you, Unicorn, and Nasca at least…what, twice now? But to be honest, I’m still not sure about her, she did help against that virus monster thing that almost wrecked the entire city, and then there was that vampire monster a week ago.” Shining Armor leaned back into his chair as he looked into the sky. “When did police work entail fighting eldritch abominations from different dimensions?” “The moment a girl decided to put on a belt and defend our sorry asses from said eldritch abominations. As far as I can tell, man, she’s just doing what she can to protect us, or at the very least someone she cares about who lives here.” Spearhead suggested. Thoughts of Twilight, his little sister, popped into his head, seeing her smiling face whenever she was around Sunset Shimmer, how she always seemed to light up whenever she talked about the girl. Could that be it? Could that really be the reason why she’d put her life on the line to protect this city? There was something missing, something that Shining Armor wasn’t seeing. He wasn’t sure what, but somehow, all roads led to Sunset Shimmer. “Thanks, buddy. I need to go.” “Really?” Spearhead asked. “Yeah, I have a hunch and I’d like to run it down,” said Shining Armor. “Good luck, dude!” ***__________)T(__________*** Shining Armor arrived at Canterlot High School, parking his bike in the visitor’s area. A lot of the students who were transitioning from one class to another caught sight of the officer, and all were whispering about him, knowing full well that he was Kamen Rider Trigger. As far he could figure, they were probably thinking this was monster related, and it might just be that. Shining Armor arrived at the office of Principal Celestia, her assistant, Raven, sat at her desk as she typed away on her keyboard. Shining Armor cleared his throat and got Raven’s attention. Raven looked up from her computer screen and stammered as she noticed the policeman before her. “O-Oh, sorry, m-may I help you?” “Yes, is Principal Celestia available? I’d liked to talk to her if possible.” Raven made a call to Celestia and after a minute was told to go on in. Shining Armor entered the room, noticing that it was bright and welcoming. It was definitely a stark contrast to Principal Cinch’s office, no windows, dark, and foreboding. Celestia offered Shining a seat, to which he happily accepted. “Tell me, Officer Armor, what brings you to our school? Nothing serious I hope?” Celestia inquired. “No, no, nothing serious, just some follow up questions regarding yours and Ms. Shimmer’s ordeal,” said Shining Armor. “But mostly, pertaining to Sunset.” “Um, okay, well, what is it that you wish to know?” Celestia asked as she leaned forward in her chair. “Well, for one thing, it was clear that Sombra was altering your behavior and mental condition. And witnesses stated that on the day you suspended Sunset Shimmer, she was quote, ‘trying to talk some sense’ into you. I’ve gotta ask, not a lot of students or your own staff managed to do something like that, but she seemed to have no problem with it, standing up to you.” Celestia sighed, it was an unpleasant time that she didn’t like to recall, considering how she treated everyone. “Yes, well, Sunset Shimmer has always been strong willed, a natural leader. She’s not afraid to speak up when something bad is happening, nor is she one to stand idly by and let something bad happen if it can be preventable.” “And yet, not too long ago, she wasn’t exactly a model student, was she?” Shining asked. “Pardon?” “Well, grades wise, I don’t doubt she’s on level with my little sister, but as far as character is concerned, I recall a lot of these same students telling me how terrified they used to be of her,” said Shining Armor. Celestia knit her brow at how this conversation was going. “Yes…well, people can have a change of heart, it’s rare, and not many go through with it, but Sunset is the picturesque model of what someone can do with a second chance. Going from someone whom the student body feared and hated, to someone whom they can look up to and aspire to be.” Shining Armor could tell Celestia truly believed this of Sunset Shimmer, but one thing still bothered him. “On that note, what exactly brought about this turn heel moment for her? As far as I can tell, it happened between the events of the Fall Formal and Battle of the Bands, and both were rumored to have supernatural things going on that pre-dated the arrival of the monsters and Kamen Riders. Although, when I ask around, some people either take it as an elaborate light show, a mass hallucination, or as many of the students would insist, magic. What’s your take on this?” Celestia studied Shining Armor, he was fishing for something, something revolving around Sunset. What exactly she wasn’t sure, but she was damned if she was going to fall for whatever he was plotting. “I let others believe what they want, if the students believe it is magic, then let it be. Besides, with the events that have gone on in our fair city, I think it’s too narrow minded to dismiss certain things as ‘unbelievable’ or ‘fairytale’ when there is clearly so much more that we don’t know out there, don’t you agree?” “I would agree, but then it’s all the more imperative that we know more about those kinds of things to determine whether or not they’re a danger to others,” said Shining in response. Silence reigned in the office for what felt like minutes, finally, Celestia leaned back in her chair as she gave Shining Armor a scrutinizing look. “Is there any particular reason – other than the ordeal with Sombra – that has lead you to inquire on Sunset Shimmer?” Shining Armor leaned forward and said, “It’s just that Sunset Shimmer seems to be an odd factor in the weird things that have gone on in the past to the present.” “It sounds like you’re accusing one of my students of something, Officer. I am listed as Sunset’s guardian, if there’s something I should know–?” “No, no, nothing like that…just following leads, dotting ‘I’s crossing ‘T’s, you know.” Shining Armor insisted. “I guess I hit a dead end here, I won’t waste any more of your time.” As Shining Armor got up and walked towards the door, he paused there to look over his shoulder and ask, “Ma’am, did you know that it’s a federal crime to create false documents for any unregistered person?” Celestia raised an eyebrow. “Is that a threat, Officer?” “No, just an interesting bit of information, just in case you didn’t know. There are a lot of laws to keep up with in your profession, and in my case, I have to keep up with almost all of them, just take it as a reminder.” With that, Shining Armor left Celestia’s office, believing now more than ever that the Principal, and quite possibly the Vice Principal, were covering for Sunset Shimmer in some capacity, maybe it was time he started digging into that girl’s past. As he walked, Shining Armor felt someone run into him, or more precisely, he ran into someone. There was a yelp and the sound of scattering of materials onto the floor. “Oh, crap, I’m so sorry! I was deep in thought; let me help…you…” Shining Armor paused when he looked down and saw the person he had bumped into, Sunset Shimmer. The girl looked up at the man with hesitation. She hid it well, but in that brief moment he saw it, fear. Shining Armor reached out with his hand, and Sunset flinched ever so slightly at the action. Is she…Is she really that afraid of me? “Um, here, let me help you up. Gingerly, Sunset took his hand and was helped up. Shining knelt down and collected the books and papers that had been strewn on the floor due to their collision. He handed them over to Sunset, the amber girl taking them gratefully. “Thank you.” Nary was another word spoken before Sunset continued her walk to her next class, with Shining Armor just looking in her direction. Something weighed on him in that moment, was the fear that he saw because she knew she was busted and would go to jail? Was she scared because she was afraid Shining would use this information to make her do something she didn’t want to do? Or was it something else? ***__________)T(__________*** Dinner at the Sparkle was pleasant to say the least, Velvet and Night Light talked about their day, and for the most part Shining Armor did too. However, Twilight seemed a little down, she’d normally be talking their ears off about what she and her friends did, especially tidbits concerning Sunset Shimmer, her girlfriend. That was another thing that Shining Armor couldn’t dismiss outright. If Sunset Shimmer had an ulterior motive behind being with Twilight, then what was it? If there was one at all. Shining Armor couldn’t deny that Twilight’s transfer to CHS wasn’t the best thing for her, in fact it was the best. For a long time now he believed that the only friend that his little sister would have was himself and Spike, not that there was anything wrong with that, he loved Twilight dearly, but still, having a wider social circle was better than not having one. Shining Armor will be the first one to admit, Crystal Prep was good at pushing their students to strive for excellence, but that made for quite a toxic environment, it was a lucky thing that some of Shining’s friends, himself and Cadance included, didn’t end up taking all that competitiveness to heart. While Shining Armor was sure CHS’s curriculum was not quite on par with CPA’s, there was no doubt that that was a moot point, as Twilight’s social growth was more than compensating for all of that. She actually had friends now, and quite a diverse group of friends that Shining Armor wouldn’t normally peg as being friends. A jock, a fashionista, an animal lover, a party girl, a bad girl, and a country girl. Saying that in my head makes me think that they’re some archetypes for a Magical Girl anime show. In any case, it had helped Twilight grow into a more sociable person, even though she still had her introverted tendencies, and most of the time had her nose in a book, they seemed to accept that about her and still managed to get her to join them in certain activities. And, at the center of all that, no one was more attentive to Twilight than Sunset Shimmer. Apparently, there was quite the ordeal that went down at the Friendship Games, Cadance was a little reluctant to say what exactly, but that it did involve Twilight, Principal Cinch’s blackmail, and Sunset Shimmer saving her. “Um, Mom, Dad, may I be excused?” Twilight asked. Velvet looked at her daughter curiously. “Are you feeling alright, Twily?” “I’m just not very hungry,” she replied. Velvet nodded her approval, Twilight excused herself and took her dishes to the kitchen. Once done, she walked up the stairs in a somber mood. Night Light glanced to Shining Armor and asked, “Do you know what’s going on with Twilight?” “No, not entirely, I’ll go check on her,” said Shining Armor. He took his time getting up the stairs, wanting to give Twilight some time to settle before he came knocking at her door. Once he arrived, Shining Armor gently rapped at the door and said, “Hey, Twily, what’s wrong?” No response. “C’mon, it’s me, your BBBFF, you can talk to me. Err, so long as it isn’t about certain things you should probably be asking Mom about!” Shining Armor joked. After a minute of silence, Twilight said, “Come in.” Shining Armor slowly opened the door and asked, “You decent?” “Not funny.” The older brother found his little sister curled up on her bed, Spike laid beside her, trying to comfort his master. The puppy dog looked at him with expectant eyes, apparently as in the dark about Twilight’s mood as he was. Shining Armor closed the door and walked across the room to sit at the edge of the bed. He waited for a few moments before asking, “So, what’s going on? You look pretty bummed out.” Twilight turned around and looked up at Shining Armor, he gently reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder, looking down on her with reassuring eyes. “Okay…it’s…Sunset.” Shining Armor arched an eyebrow. “What did she do?” “Nothing!” Twilight immediately defended, but her fire died out as she added, “Which is also not good…” “What?” “Sunset’s been acting distant for a week now, she still talks to me at lunch, and we study, but…It’s like she’s afraid to be around me…we don’t hold hands anymore…she doesn’t even give me a kiss or wrap her arms around me…it’s like she’s trying to avoid me.” “Oh…well, maybe she’s not feeling well or something?” Shining lied. “No, she doesn’t get sick that easily, I’d definitely know if she wasn’t feeling well! Do you…Do you think she’s tired of me?” Twilight asked with a quiver in her voice. “W-What?!” “I mean, we’re both teenagers and statistically speaking the percentage of high school relationships die out either due to distance or other extenuating circumstances…” Twilight reached out and clutched at the loose fabric of Shining’s pantleg as if it were a lifeline. “Did I do something to make her not like me anymore…? I-I know I don’t have any experience in relationships, I was bound to mess something up at some point, but for the life of me I don’t know what it was that I did to warrant this?!” Shining Armor’s heart was being torn, the expression of sadness and confusion on Twilight’s face was rending his heart, he knew full well why Sunset was avoiding her, but he couldn’t just outright say that Twilight’s girlfriend is Unicorn, if she felt bad now, how would she feel when she learned Sunset was lying to her the whole time? “I…I asked Sunset if she wanted to go to the Fall Formal. It would be my first high school dance that I went to, and with someone I care about…but when I asked her, she smiled at me and said, ‘I’ll think about it’.” Twilight began to sniffle. “I know Sunset doesn’t have too many fond memories of her past Fall Formals, but I was hoping to make up for that with this one…it would be memorable to us, and it would be her last, as well as my first and last, Fall Formal before we graduate at the end of the semester…” Shining Armor moved closer and wrapped his baby sister up in a hug. “Never think that you did something wrong, okay? You a wonderful person, Twily, and any guy – er – girl would be crazy not to see that! There’s probably some other reason, just give her time.” Twilight continued to sniffle, but smiled nonetheless, “Thank you, big brother.” After a few minutes of comforting Twilight, Shining Armor left her room and went into his. He sat on the edge of his bed, staring at himself in the mirror on the adjacent wall. His sister was crying, feeling as if she had done something wrong, but…Did I do the wrong thing here? Twilight was happy, on a different level than when she was with family. Sunset Shimmer made her happier, Twilight trusted Sunset, but how can she trust her when the truth is revealed. “On that note, why haven’t I revealed the truth yet…?” Because we still don’t know what Sunset Shimmer’s goal is. “True, but what if she really is doing all this masked hero stuff out of the goodness of her heart? If she needed a reason to fight, then protecting your friends and those you love is a good reason. Hell, it’s part of the reason I became a cop!” Yeah, a cop not a vigilante. Sunset used a dangerous weapon to fight against monsters, her total anonymity allows her to move around without taking any real responsibility for her actions. If she endangers another person’s life, then that’s that, she doesn’t have to answer to courts or cops because there would be no way to know who was under the helmet. “Still, she looked scared of me…” Scared because she was caught, and scared because she knew we have evidence. “There’s more to this than what I’m seeing, I need to know who Sunset Shimmer is. First thing’s first though, I gotta at least make Twily happy.” ***____________________*** Sunset laid in her bed, staring up at the ceiling as she went over the events so far. Shining Armor knew she was Kamen Rider Unicorn, he had physical evidence that she was, there was no way she could get out of it. Of all the people in the city to find out her secret, having Shining Armor, a policeman, who’s had a personal vendetta against Unicorn from practically day one, find out about this was quite possibly the worst-case scenario. She could see it now… “Our breaking news, Officer Shining Armor of the CCPD, also known as Kamen Rider Trigger, has successfully uncovered the identity of Kamen Rider Unicorn!” “Reports say that a local high schooler, one Sunset Shimmer, has been the one under the mask fighting against the monsters who have tried countless times to attack the city.” “I just don’t see how any adult could let a young girl like that use such dangerous weapons, what made her think that it was a good idea to use such things? Who appointed her the keeper of the peace for everyone in the city?” “We’re now getting reports that there is no record of a girl named ‘Sunset Shimmer’. Our sources have verified that there is no paper or digital record of this girl’s birth anywhere in the city, or in the country for that matter, we are still awaiting verification from overseas.” “We have just learned that the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are taking the young girl into custody, treating her as an illegal alien until such time as her identity can be determined by federal authorities.” “This just end, it seems – as remarkable as it sounds everyone – a portal to another world has been discovered on the grounds of the local Canterlot High School. The Principal and Vice Principal of the school have been taken in by federal authorities for questioning about the mysterious gateway and their involvement in keeping the girl, Sunset Shimmer, hidden for so long.” Princess Twilight would come out of the portal, with a dozen guns pointed at her and taken into custody before she could utter a word of protest or reason. The feds would enter the portal, and then Princess Celestia would find out that Princess Twilight was captured, creating an interdimensional/diplomatic incident that would set off a war between humans and ponies! Sunset and Princess Twilight would be used as Guinea pigs for experimentation to find out how ponies turned human tick, and her friends would either be studied like her, or forced to fight in the war to avoid punishment upon them and their families, and her Twilight…her Twilight… Sunset yelped when she heard knocking at her front door. The young woman was weary, as none of her friends had texted or called about coming over to see her. Sunset made her way down the steps, crossing through the living room, and stopping to look through the peep hole once she reached the door. The amber girl tensed, it was Shining Armor, of all people, why was he here now? Did she mess up something? Had she violated the conditions he had set? Her interactions with Twilight were minimal compared to what they used to be. As hard as all of it was, she had obeyed his demand, so why was he here? “What do you want?” Sunset asked through the door. “I just want to talk.” Sunset tightened her jaw, she still didn’t like this. “Whatever you have to say to me, you can say it through the door!” “It’s about Twilight…” That caught Sunset’s attention. Cautiously, she unlocked the door, keeping the chain attached, as she cracked it open. “What about Twilight?” “Please, just let me in so we can talk about her, I really don’t want to do this through a door,” said Shining Armor. Sunset gave the young man a scrutinizing look before answering, “If I even think for a moment you’re here to try something, I’m not holding back.” “I left my Driver and Gaia Memory at the house, I’m not even armed, look!” Shining Armor lifted his jacket and did a three-sixty turn to show that he didn’t have a gun on his hip, even opening his jacket to show that there were none strapped to his chest. He even picked up his pantleg to show that there wasn’t an ankle holster. Sunset closed door, and slid the chain off, opening the door fully to allow Shining Armor entry. Once inside, Shining Armor paused halfway, taking in how Sunset’s home was set up, realizing that this was the first time he had been to the teen’s residence. Once the door shut, Sunset directed him to the sofa, with Sunset taking seat across from him. “You wanted to talk about Twilight, so talk,” said Sunset. “She’s a bit depressed, she thinks she did something wrong,” said Shining Armor. Sunset gripped the armrests of the chair, hearing how Twilight was being affected made her heart hurt. “And whose fault do you think that is?!” “Look, I don’t like seeing my sister sad alright! Neither do I want to see her go back to the way she was, alone. Having family is one thing, but having friends and…a girlfriend, completes a person, and for someone like Twilight, who had none of that, and was just starting to come out of her shell, losing her first girlfriend can be a hard blow,” said Shining Armor. “Well maybe you should’ve thought of that before you blackmailed me into staying away from her! I know she’s hurting, because I am too! I want to be there with her, I wanted to say ‘YES’ to her when she asked me to the Fall Formal! But when I remembered what you ordered me to do, and what would happen if I did, I couldn’t!” Sunset stood up, tears in her eyes as she narrowed her gaze at Shining Armor. “What do I have to do to show you that I’m in love with her?! That I would do anything for Twilight! That I’m not a threat!” “I DON’T KNOW ALRIGHT!” Shining Armor yelled, standing to his full height as he glared back at Sunset. “Every instinct I have tells me you’re hiding something, more than you just being a Kamen Rider, something that’s not right and it’s that thing that I can’t trust! You were less than a good person, and suddenly pull a one-eighty, and now you’re not just respected, but loved and admired, considering all you did to your fellow students and some of the faculty! And there’s the little detail about how I can’t find a single record of your existence in this city beyond what is at CHS, and that’s what I can find without a warrant!” Both Sunset and Shining continued their stare down, an invisible clash of auras going on in the background. After about two minutes both released the tension in their shoulders and flopped back down into their seats. “……” “………What are you?” Sunset glanced back at Shining Armor. “I’m a girl.” “Not what I meant. Given all the weird crap that’s been going on in the city for almost a year now, I can’t overlook even the most ‘out-there’ theory.” Shining sat up straight and began ticking off his fingers. “A girl with no record, has hardly ever been sick, and fights with a superpowered weapon. If I follow comic logic, you’re either an alien, or a being from another dimension. So, which is it?” Sunset looked away and asked, “Does it really matter? I’m not the person I was before, I’ve learned from my mistakes and doing everything I can to be better!……I don’t ever want to go back to the way I was…alone, bitter, and too full of pride and anger to see what I was doing to the world around me…” “………” Shining Armor considered her words and spoke carefully. “Take her to the Fall Formal.” Sunset’s head picked up. “What did you say?” “I didn’t stutter. Take her, dance with her, all the normal things that a girl at her first dance should do. Just don’t get to fresh with her, alright?!” Shining warned. “Uh…y-yeah – YEAH! I mean, no, I won’t do anything inappropriate! I’ll take her, yes!” Sunset blurted out. Shining Armor nodded. “I can see enough that you do care about Twilight, and she cares about you. But, we’re going to have a serious talk sometime soon.” Sunset’s elated state came down a little, but it was enough, at least she was going to take Twilight to the Fall Formal. How am I going to tell Twilight…?