"It's over, Pinkie!"
At the intersection of Eighth and Sage Street, a woman in a long, lavender coat wielding a katana sword faced off against a giant, three story tall demon taking the form a black, scaled lizard. With four legs, a massive tail, a grinning mouth full of disturbingly human teeth and a split tongue hanging from it, she looked to be more than a match for the average looking woman. Atop the monster's head was a mess of flat, stringy pink hair, contrasting the woman's neatly pulled back violet ponytail. A single pink highlight did streak through her bangs, which fell just before her thick-rimmed, squared glasses, adjusting the vision of a pair of similarly violet eyes.
There were several blocks of destroyed buildings leading to the two of them, a written report of the mayhem taking place. Knocked over light posts and cratered pavement was crowned by a burning bakery three blocks away, the site where this battle began. Police and Fire Rescue teams moved in, while heavily armored SWAT units were deployed a block away. They assessed the monster, but didn't dare get too close.
Where there wasn't the sound of the monster's claws or tail smashing against something, there were sirens, a familiar sound that day.
"Oh, Twilight..." The monster said, in a light, yet growly voice. Her tone was a disturbing combination of threatening and sing-songy. "This party can't be over, I haven't finished my meal yet..."
The monster swept a claw at Twilight. She jumped backwards and drew a handgun from inside of her coat. It had a large, smooth frame, with several cables running from the back to the barrel. It fired in a rapid stream of blue streaks, the bullets coming out of it burning on impact with the monster she called Pinkie.
"Ah! Those sting! Stop that!" The monster covered her face with a claw, reaching behind her and gripping firmly around a stoplight post. With a mighty pull, she ripped it out of the ground and swung it down towards Twilight like a crude club.
Instead of jumping again, Twilight holstered her gun and put both hands on her blade, one on the grip and one at the end, planting her feet and holding a strong block against the stoplight post above her head. It crashed loudly against her blade, and the metallic, high-tech boots she wore dug into the ground. Twilight shifted her weight, and sliced across, sliding her thumb across a switch on the handle of her weapon. Just like her bullets, her blade crackled with a blue energy, vibrating at an extremely high frequency and heating up until it sliced straight through the thick metal.
Drawing her gun again, Twilight peppered the demon's face with bullets as she ran up the severed end of the pole, narrowly avoiding her claw as it came up to grab her. She jumped, and used the raised appendage as a spot to kick off, leaping through the air and landing on the demon's snout. She immediately drove her sword down into the monster's head, only piercing the surface of her thick scales, before being quickly knocked off as the demon recoiled. She tumbled as she dropped to the ground, but righted herself mid-fall and landed on both feet in a wide stance.
Twilight looked up. Her sword was still embedded in the demon's forehead.
With one gun still in hand, she drew a second one from her opposite side, and raised them both. The demon swept across with what remained of her stoplight pole, and Twilight cartwheeled over it, both guns firing while airborne. The pole crashed into a building corner, knocking pieces of it off in jagged bits. Part of the second story wall was exposed, with enough cracks for Twilight to run up part of the wall and pull herself up into the building.
She heard the demon speak again in her eery, chipper tone.
"Smile!" Looking down on Twilight, the demon opened her mouth, and inside it a ball of light formed just above the center of her tongue. Twilight ducked just before a huge, pink beam of energy put a hole down through the building at an angle. Twilight felt the heat from the beam as it passed her, melting through the second floor and continuing on into the first floor of the building adjacent. Strangely, there were bits of sprinkles falling from the burnt holes where ashes should've been, and instead of smoke they smelled of burnt bread.
As soon as it subsided Twilight pointed both guns at the ceiling, firing them in a perfect circle until the bullet holes made a perforated ring above her. A single kick to the center of ring and Twilight had a opening to jump through to the next floor, just in time to miss the demon's pole crashing through each floor, leaving an open tear on the building, and every story exposed. She saw the demon charging up another beam as she landed, and turned to fire her guns into the demon's open mouth. The demon gagged and coughed, the beam dispersing as she looked to the side and spit out the spent lead.
"Ack!" The demon grumbled, and watched Twilight as she jumped through the new hole in the building, landing just a bit above her on the building's roof.
"Try that again if you want more!" Twilight challenged, keeping her guns pointed in the demon's direction as she looked almost eye to eye with her.
"No! Bullets are not tasty!" The demon jabbed her pole at Twilight again, but aimed low, the metal breaking the brick wall at an upward angle and further breaking the roof at Twilight's feet. She put her guns away and vaulted over the edge of the roof. Twilight pressed her metal boots together, and in a flash of bright blue light a metal hoverboard materialized. Digitally stored in her boots, and no bigger than a long skateboard, it could be summoned anywhere there was room, and easily glided over any terrain. The bottoms of her boots magnetically stuck to the board as she placed them in their proper position.
As the pole was removed from the building, Twilight landed and grinded along it, a neon trail following her board as she raced towards the demon. She kicked off as the demon brought the back end of the pole up, launching her high into the air.
Twilight's feet left the board, and it disappeared in another flash as she landed right back on the demon's head. She slipped, almost falling again, only a moment of tension gripping her before she caught herself, taking her sword in both hands and dragging it down, energizing it and using her momentum to slice all the way through the demon's back. Now in control of her fall, Twilight ramped off of the demon's tail as it flicked upwards, completing the cut as she landed far behind her in a forward roll.
Coming up to a kneel, Twilight slowly brought her blade into its sheath around her belt and following that, the demon split apart into two clean pieces that fell to either side. The demon then exploded into a cloud of shadowy smoke.
When Twilight turned, she only found a normal girl with straight, pink hair lying unconscious in the middle of the street where the monster once was, without a scratch on her. This girl was once her friend, Pinkie Pie, lover of all things sweet and fun. Twilight was likely sacrificing what friendship they had, but hopefully, she'd understand once this was all over. She needed the magic of her Inner Demon, it was the only way she could save her from what was coming.
"Twilight!" A synthesized voice called out from the rooftop across the street. It was the robotic hound she sent to capture Rarity's Inner Demon. It jumped from the roof, landing right in front of her. She took the circular magic capturing device from its tail.
"Thank you, Spike," Twilight said, petting him, and receiving a nuzzle on her hand, the same way a normal dog would've. "Good boy."
"Do you have Pinkie Pie's magic yet?" Spike asked.
"Not yet..."
Twilight looked to the orb of black and pink energy forming above Pinkie's body. It was a good distance away, as she was in the center of the intersection, but nothing Twilight couldn't reach by walking. Before she could, she heard a rumble from behind her, down the street. She turned to look as Spike became alert and backed up cautiously.
Coming straight for her, riding down the ruined street on her motorcycle was Sunset Shimmer, her sword held out to the side and lined up with Twilight's head.
"Twilight!"
Twilight's Demon Reflex kicked in as she leaned back, Sunset's blade only a millimeter over her nose as she passed. She caught her balance and turned, drawing one of her guns and firing three shots at Sunset. Still passing by her, Sunset spun her sword around, deflecting the shots as she pulled the bike into a slide. Her foot dragged against the ground as she brought the bike to a stop, kicking up a trail of dust as she did so.
"Sunset." Twilight stared her down, putting her weapon away as she took several steps closer. "What a way to greet someone you haven't seen in a while."
Sunset looked to Twilight, then behind her, to where Pinkie lay. Though the sight of her friend like this infuriated her, she suppressed it with a cool tone. "So, turning our friends into demons, huh?"
"It's out of my control now, this is the only way I can save them."
"Save them?" Sunset looked around her. The street had impact craters in it here and there, and more than a few buildings had sustained damage. "They're hurting people. Destroying the city."
"They're all going to trigger off sooner or later, anyway. Better to do it when I can contain them."
"It's a neat trick, I'll give you that much. I didn't know that it was possible. Forcing someone's demon out like that..."
Twilight looked a bit disheartened as she heard those words. There was a hint of desperation in her tone. "It's not me doing it. But still, I need their power, it's the only way to stop all of this."
"Celestia already told me what you're trying to do, Twilight. I can't let you open the gate to the demon realm."
"She doesn't know anything..." Twilight scowled at mention of the name. "She didn't listen to me when I tried to warn her."
Sunset said nothing in response, but raised an eyebrow.
"The gate is already opening, Sunset," Twilight continued. "It was always going to open, but this is the only way I can stop what's coming behind it."
"Oh?" Sunset smirked, "And what makes you so qualified, Miss High and Mighty?"
"It's up to me. I'm Celestia's most gifted student."
"Most gifted student?" Sunset pressed the tip of her sword against the ground, balancing herself as she leaned off of her bike. "I've got an amulet and a 1-0 record that says otherwise."
"I have more control over my power than ever before..." Twilight held the magic-capturing device close to her chest, pressing a button on the side of it. It flipped open. Sunset recognized it, Twilight used the same device to detect and capture magic when they first met. And just like before, it released the captured magic back into her, causing her to radiate with a dark purple glow for a moment. Closing the device, she hooked it on a chain she wore around her neck, and tucked it beneath her shirt.
She then held out her hand, and in it, she materialized a long, slender object. It was the weapon Rarity's demon wielded- a huge sewing needle, with a length of thread hanging from it's end.
"...and I'm much stronger than you."
"What a claim..." Sunset gave a cocky smile, "How about we have our rematch, then?"
Twilight took a fighting stance, holding her new weapon out and prompting Sunset to turn her bike forward and mirror the action with her sword.
"Twilight, we shouldn't get distracted," Spike said, approaching her as the two kept their eyes locked. "We really need to continue forward."
"No, Spike," Twilight said, now a focused look in her eye, "It is time for our rematch."
"This isn't necessary, Twilight." Spike said. "You're just gonna get yourself hurt."
Spike, the last time Sunset saw him, was much smaller, as he was originally made to resemble a puppy. Eventually, he was given a voice module and a more intelligent AI system. He could speak, and think, and feel, and learn.
Twilight had obviously upgraded him further since they last met. His body shape more resembled a huge wolf, with smooth, angular armor plating and sharp edges everywhere on him. The weapon holstered on his back was new too, but she figured he'd be used for combat if Twilight still had interests in the demon world.
"If I can get the amulet now," Twilight said, "It'll make things easier in the long run."
"We don't need the amulet though-"
"I need it!" Her head turned, anger now being cast in his direction. He shrunk away, nodding a fearful compliance. "This is between us, Spike, so back off!"
"Just... calm down..." Spike nervously replied. He was quite expressive for being an AI. Twilight's work was impressive. "You don't want to fight while angry..."
Looking back to Sunset, Twilight gave her a nod, closing her eyes for a moment and calming herself. "You're right, Spike. Besides, we can't leave yet, we need to get Pinkie's magic."
Sunset glanced back at Pinkie and the energy floating above her body. Personal scores aside, she wasn't about to let Twilight get more magic.
"Come on, then!" Sunset revved her bike's engine challengingly, and Spike retreated to the rooftops above them. "Let's rock!"
"With pleasure."
-----
"Agent Sentry! What the hell happened in there?"
Sergeant Colt had Flash off over on the side in the aftermath of the battle at Carousel Boutique. His squad of police officers were securing the area now that the demon threat was over, and one was leading the store's owner out to them.
"A lot," Flash replied.
"While you were in there, another incident happened out on 8th Street. We heard reports of another monster, a big one," Colt said. "We were told to stay here though, and secure this place. They're deploying heavier units and calling for an evacuation of the city."
Another monster? Flash blinked. This was turning into a lot for a first mission. "Alright. I need to get a report from Rarity before I leave."
Colt nodded, and Flash went over to Rarity, who was very shaken by the entire experience. She eased up slightly seeing someone familiar.
"Flash? Flash Sentry?" Rarity seemed to have not have expected to see him.
"Agent Flash Sentry," He replied, letting a faint, comforting smile show through as he pulled a notepad and pen out of a pouch on his back. "I work with a group that fights monsters, I need to ask you a few questions."
Rarity nodded, and did her best to calm herself down. Not much was accomplished, though her rapid blinking did slow. "O-of course! Yes..."
"What happened before the police arrived?"
"There were..." Rarity stared at the space in front of her, her eyes passing through everything as she recounted the details. "Monsters... Horrible, horrible monsters outside! They were looking for me, coming for me... So I sent Sunset a message, surely she'd know what to do, dealing with these sorts of things- then I called the police..."
"The monsters, they found you?" Flash quickly wrote down the important points of her story.
"Yes..." Rarity shivered, and closed her eyes. "It was dreadful, I tell you, absolutely dreadful!"
"What did they do to you?" Flash looked up to Rarity, maintaining eye contact as he continued his note taking.
"The smaller ones surrounded me," she said, her voice shifting from fearful to resentful, "Handled me rather roughly. Lackeys, no doubt. As repulsive as they all were, I know a common type when I see one."
"There was a bigger one, I'm guessing?"
"Yes, she said nothing, but obviously was in charge..." Her voice shook again. "All I remember is her eyes, those terrifying, piercing green eyes..." Her whole body shook now, fear rushing back into her.
Rarity's voice became an inaudible, hushed squeak, and she screwed her eyes shut again. She looked as if she was going to fall over. Flash held his hand up.
"You don't have to go any further, Rarity. I think you've given a good enough picture."
Her eyes shot open, urgency spreading across her face and mixing with her fear. "No, you don't understand, she reached out, and... and..." Immersed in the horror of her memory, she gasped, raising a hand to her forehead before she fainted, falling back towards the ground.
"Woah!" Flash quickly caught her, and after a few moments of securing his hold around her, she opened her eyes. She stood, catching her breath, and tried to calm herself again. "That's... all I need from you." Flash said. "Thank you."
"What happens now?" She asked, arms wrapping around herself.
"The police will wrap things up here. There's reports of another monster, though, I need to deal with that. Stay safe."
"Yes..." Rarity said, concerned, but still nodding her understanding. "You too."
As he made his way back to his motorcycle, Sergeant Colt began to walk with him. He put his hand on his shoulder, getting his attention.
"What is it, Sergeant?"
Colt suddenly was holding his shotgun in front of Flash, motioning for him to take it.
"Take some more firepower with you, son."
Flash nodded, and accepted the weapon, as well as a handful of shells that Colt also gave him. It went over his back by its strap, and the shells went in the pouch on his back.
"You sure you won't need it?" Flash asked.
"Things are wrapped up here. You need it more than we do."
"Well... thanks."
Flash mounted his motorcycle, and took off down the street. 8th Street, that's where he needed to be. Sunset didn't want him in her way, but he was sent here with a job to do.
-----
Sunset charged forward on her chopper, taking another swing at Twilight as she passed. Ducking again, Twilight lifted her hand, firing a series of oversized sewing pins at Sunset, just like Rarity's Demon. Sunset kept moving, making a wide circle around as each pin passed behind her, until she was coming straight at Twilight again.
This time, Twilight rolled, coming up on her knee and tossing her needle at Sunset as she approached. She kept one hand around the thread as it shot forward. It was somehow infinitely long, more thread would always be in Twilight's hand as she let it pass through. Sunset brought her blade into a defensive angle, and deflected the needle as she came at Twilight again.
Twilight pulled on the thread, and the needle came back into her hand, its length shortening as the distance between them closed. Instead of throwing the needle again, Twilight created eight more sewing pins that she fired off in a zig-zagged pattern. Sunset weaved around them, and with both hands on the handlebars, flipped over the front of her bike, then brought it all the way over her head and swung down with it. The bike landed perfectly, and Sunset was back on it, but Twilight was out of the way, summoning her hoverboard beneath her. Squeezing her bike's accelerator, Sunset brought her front wheel up again with a burst of speed, the wheel being the striking end of the bike she was now wielding.
Twilight's foot came off her board, and she threw a high kick into the bike's front wheel, stopping it as Sunset brought it down again. The tire spun, but the metal boot Twilight wore did not give. Sunset's balance was suddenly shifted back as Twilight edged her board forward, her eyes widening as her balance tilted.
She had only seconds to react. Holding out a hand behind her, Sunset planted it against the ground as she fell back, her one arm supporting her entire body and motorcycle. The rest of the second was spent squeezing the bike tightly between her legs, bringing her other hand to the ground, and spinning the whole cycle around her in a dangerous circle.
"What th-" Twilight was taken by complete surprise, and the front end of the cycle struck her hard, knocking her off her board and onto the street. She tumbled over her shoulders, and barely managed to land on her feet.
Now, Twilight was the one needing more time. Keeping her spinning momentum, Sunset tossed her bike at Twilight with her legs. Twilight kicked off the ground, jumping over the bike, and kicking off of it as she lunged forward with her needle. Sunset rolled on her back, the needle piercing the ground inches from her body.
Sunset kicked into Twilight's arm, and she let go of the needle, backing away and giving Sunset the time she needed to get back on her feet. Then, as if reading each other's minds, they both drew their pistols, the pair of paired weapons coming out in such synchronization that Sunset might've thought she was looking into a mirror.
Down the street, Sunset's bike landed cleanly on both wheels.
Twilight stepped back, her gun having a full arm's length behind it as she assumed a stance that resembled a martial artist's, the stance of a specialized gunfighting form she and Sunset learned from Celestia.
Body to the side, one gun held high across the chest, the other outstretched and low, and both pointed towards the opponent. While impractical for anyone without demon powers, the form allowed one to use guns in a mixture of close-combat and ranged techniques, all of which requiring magic and superhuman reflexes to avoid oncoming bullets.
With a hint of a smile on her face, Sunset assumed the same position, knowing she could deflect any attack made from Twilight so long as they both held it.
"Really, Twi?" she asked playfully. "I was always better with guns than you."
"Show me you haven't lost your touch."
"You first."
Twilight took two steps back, tilting her chest so it faced Sunset. Arms swinging parallel, she created a horizontal line of bullets in line with Sunset's stance. In response, Sunset took only a single step forward, and twisted her body perpendicular to Twilight's. With both guns level with hers, Sunset shot out the middle set of oncoming bullets, their bullets colliding and canceling each other out, creating a space in the bullet wall for her to slip through.
Twisting her body around again Sunset brought her hand over in a punching motion, squeezing the trigger of her weapon. Twilight replied with a single shot to cancel it, and three more of her own as she held her ground, taking several different stances that allowed her to fire back at Sunset while fluidly dodging. For each one, Sunset responded with a matching stance, blocking each of Twilight's attacks as she replied with one of her own. Back and forth they went, until both of their arms crossed at the wrist, their guns pointed upwards as they applied pressure to one another.
"Those are neat guns you've got," Sunset looked over Twilight's weapons, which looked rather futuristic compared to her own. "Made 'em yourself, I'm guessing?"
Twilight didn't reply. They began another series of strikes, each one firing off split seconds after the other predicted their move and batted their hand out of the way. Sunset knew how this went, neither of them would gain ground on the other until one switched things up, so she swept her leg at Twilight's in an attempt to trip her.
She jumped backwards, Sunset knew she would, and Twilight went into a full backflip, allowing to Sunset to take free shots at her. Twilight wouldn't let her get a hit in, however. She twirled mid-air, dodging just so that all of Sunset's bullets whizzed by. Landing in a kneeling position again with her wrists crossed and her guns held sideways, Twilight returned fire. Again, their bullets collided halfway between them in an array of blue and white sparks, dropping to the ground harmlessly below.
There was another pause in the action. Many a training session came to stalemates like this. Again, one of them would have to make a move, and between the two of them, Twilight was more likely to play it safe.
Sunset jumped into a side roll, scooping up the fallen needle weapon and tossing it at Twilight. Her Demon Reflex slowed time for her as she ducked to the side, but Sunset felt this time distortion and her own Reflex triggered to match.
Both guns firing off again, Sunset ran towards Twilight. If she focused, she could will her bullets to act out of time with her, making them that much harder to dodge. Twilight still shot her bullets down, and as she neared she suddenly came out with her own sword in an attempt to cut up at Sunset. She heard only the sound of steel on steel. Apparently, Sunset had the same idea, and they now stood facing away from each other, their swords now drawn.
"Guess guns aren't going to cut it, huh?" Sunset said, putting both hands on her sword.
"I guess not," Twilight did the same.
Again, the two were mirrors of each other as they went through another back and forth of sword strikes, each delivering and deflecting blows with an ease that came only through years of practice. Sunset's strikes were quick and powerful, and Twilight's were carefully calculated cuts backed up with superior footwork. They trained together, they knew how the other moved. Sunset brought kicks and jumps into the fight, and Twilight flicked the switch on her blade, igniting it in a sparkling blue light. Eventually, they came into a bind, the strongs of their blades sparking against each other.
"Modified your sword, too?" Sunset inspected Twilight's weapon.
"And you're still using Celestia's old one."
"It's all I need."
Sunset pulled back, and came in from another side, leading to another bind.
"You'll never get stronger if you deny a chance to improve yourself." Twilight's thumb pressed forward on a slider along her weapon's hilt, causing her blade to glow brighter.
"Why fix what's not broken?" Sunset's blade held strong against Twilight's, its magical construction not giving to Twilight's technological might.
Sunset became relaxed as she blocked blow after blow, continuing as Twilight sidestepped and readjusted her angle of attack.
"Focus in on the wrong things..." Sunset said, her breathing steady over the frantic clashing of swords, "You'll just end up weighing yourself down!"
Sunset struck a blow on the backside of Twilight's blade, and its energy fizzled out. A hum of interest passed her lips as she realized that it could be disrupted. Twilight's balance was put off ever so slightly, and Sunset made a quick jab in, holding her sword in one hand.
"Forget your mistakes..." Twilight replied, pushing Sunset's arm aside and cutting across, "You'll repeat them!"
Sunset leapt over Twilight's head and took a mid-air swing as she came back down on the other side of her. Their blades collided again as Twilight turned, but this time she pushed her away with all of her strength. With no footing on the ground, Sunset was thrown, landing out in the middle of the intersection.
Time resumed, and the sewing needle continued its course, embedding itself in the one stoplight pole still standing on the street corner. Sunset landed on both feet, but slid back and had to bring a hand to the concrete to stabilize herself, tearing the skin there in the process. Gritting her teeth, she watched the skin on her palm slowly restoring itself, more annoyed than in pain. Looking past it, she saw Pinkie and her energy floating above her. She couldn't let Twilight take it...
As soon as she had the thought, Twilight was in the air directly above, sword held over her head and dropping down. Holding her own sword up, it was now Sunset's turn to launch Twilight, tossing her back into the second story of the destroyed building on the corner. She heard crashing and crumbling of walls.
Lifting one arm and pushing herself to her knees with her other, she reached for the pink and black swirl of energy. It was attracted to her hand, and absorbed into her body with a warm, tingling sensation. As energy completely merged with her, she heard a cheery yet growly voice in her head.
Sunset! Hi! It was Pinkie's Inner Demon. With her thoughts, Sunset replied.
Are you going to try and take over my body, Pinkie? She asked, addressing the demon by her host's name, not knowing what else to call her.
Of course not, silly! I would've already done it if I could.
Right. Sunset thought. Can you help me fight Twilight?
Well, sure! She's being a meanie. The demon growled, quite displeased with Twilight's recent actions. She let that dark spirit lady just grab me, and then she cut me half! Can you believe that?
You were rampaging through the city, to be fair.
Ah, I guess I was. Hey, ideeeeaa! The demon's voice took high pitched tone, scratching at the inside of Sunset's mind. I can be a gun for you! You like guns, right?
I guess.
Well put that sword away, cause here I come!
Doing as she was told, the demon's energy formed in her palm, swirling until it materialized into a huge tube of black metal with pink highlights along its top, and imagery of several brightly colored balloons on the side. A long barrel protruded from the front, the words 'PARTY TIME' were engraved along it, and a handle protruded from the bottom, forming a trigger where it met the body and also forming into the stock. Sticking out from the side in front of Sunset was the priming handle, and atop the body was a scope. She was holding a cannon, a huge, scoped cannon.
Twilight ran to the edge of the building's second story as fast as she could, just in time to find Sunset pointing her new weapon at her and pulling the trigger.
The sound of streamers firing off accompanied a loud crack, and Twilight jumped away from the building as a high explosive shell smashed into the wall behind her. It shook the structure, causing bits of it to collapse, creating a cloud of not just dust and shrapnel but also confetti. It's windows all shattered, and the faint sound of echoing laughter was heard after the thunderous explosion.
"Wow." Sunset said, in awe of power of her new weapon.
Still in her jump, Twilight kicked off of the stoplight pole, and went straight for Sunset again. As her sword came around, Sunset stopped her attack with body of the Party Cannon, Twilight pushing off and found herself standing several meters away from Sunset. The cannon was primed, and Twilight heard Spike call out behind her.
"Twilight!" He shouted. "We need to leave! Get Rarity's magic and let's go!"
Twilight gave only a single moment of reasoning, but in that moment concluded that Spike was right.
"We'll have to have a proper rematch later, Sunset," Twilight said, turning towards the sewing needle sticking from the stoplight pole.
"What? You're not getting away that easy!" Sunset fired again. Twilight, mid run, contacted the cannon shell with her sword at a shallow angle, deflecting it into a building across the street. Still running, she drew one of her pistols and fired it back at Sunset.
Sunset's free hand was just raising one of her own as five new holes were made in her chest, the blue streaks burning her flesh and slowing her natural regeneration. Exhaling sharply, she reestablished her grip on the cannon again as Twilight grabbed the needle and reduced it to energy, taking it back into her body. The weapon faded, and with her katana's blade ignited she sliced through the stoplight pole, then kicked it over in Sunset's direction before turning and running off.
The pole toppled over towards her, something she could easily sidestep, but she remembered Pinkie's unconscious body. She'd be crushed...
Imitating what Twilight had just done, Sunset focused on the cannon and absorbed it into her, after which she was greeted by the demon's upbeat tone.
Hey! She's getting away!
Not important! Sunset thought. She held her arms above her head and caught the falling stoplight pole. A grunt of effort turned to a shout as her whole body strained, heaving the length of metal aside in an absurd feat of strength.
Meanwhile, Twilight sped down the street on her hoverboard, with Spike following close behind. By the time Sunset made it to her bike, she would've lost them.
"Dammit!" She swore aloud, to no one in particular, watching Twilight turn a corner two blocks away.
The demon made a surprised, gasping sound. How this was accomplished, Sunset wasn't sure. Language!
Could you just be quiet? Sunset thought, willing control over this other demon in her mind. I don't need your commentary on everything.
There came no response. Sunset smiled for a moment, but then gave an exhausted sigh. She took a seat on the fallen stoplight pole, and popped a fresh lollipop into her mouth. Shifting it about with her tongue, she felt a pleased smile creeping onto her face, and a better mood following it.
The SWAT unit down the street finally worked up the nerve to come over, seeing that the fighting had stopped.
About time.
-----
Flash Sentry pulled around the corner to 8th Street, finding a couple knocked over stoplights, torn up asphalt and a few destroyed buildings- a fight that was already over. Fully armored SWAT officers were checking out the wrecked corner building and securing a perimeter. And of course Sunset was there, legs crossed and laid back on the stoplight with her hands behind her head. She was talking to the officer in charge, evident by her lack of helmet and aviator sunglasses. They always had sunglasses. She had a strong, athletic build, short cut orange hair, and was a Captain judging by the marking on her shoulder armor. As Flash neared, the two gave him their attentions.
"I was wondering if you'd show up." Sunset said, pulling a lollipop from her mouth. "I was just telling Captain Spitfire here what the deal was."
"Is that..." Flash looked over to the girl laying in the street, being helped up by two of the other officers. "Is that Pinkie?"
"Yep." Sunset nodded.
"Who are you?" Captain Spitfire tilted her head, lowering her shades as she looked to Flash.
"Oh, excuse me," Flash dismounted his bike and showed the unit patch. "Seraph Agent Flash Sentry. I've been assigned to deal with the demons here."
"Well you're not doing a very good job of that," The captain deadpanned, her rough and gravelly voice carrying much disappointment.
Surprised, Flash could only stutter. "I- well, I'm-"
Sunset waved a hand dismissively. "Go easy on him. He was dealing with another situation."
"That's the problem. One Seraph Agent isn't enough," The captain shook her head. "We need a whole team of you guys. We've got reports of another big one in the business district. And on top of that, smaller holes are opening up and letting little guys come through."
Sunset looked off into the distance. "Seems like the gate's opening faster than Twilight thought."
"Twilight was here?" Flash asked, sounding off-put. Last he knew, she was a demon hunter just like Sunset. Though her help would likely be needed, Sunset's presence alone challenged his self-importance. The two of them together would make Flash borderline useless.
"That's the girl we saw before? Fighting the lizard monster?" The captain asked.
"Yep," Sunset said. "She's not about to help us out though. She's trying to open the gates up."
"Why would she do that?" Flash asked, now surprised. "Isn't she on our side?"
"I don't know, apparently not." Sunset sat up, letting her legs dangle. "All I know is that she needs to be stopped."
"Right." Flash nodded. "We'll do what we have to, then."
"No, I'll do what I have to." Sunset pointed to Flash. "Do not fight her. You can't beat her, I promise." She paid no attention to Flash's disappointed frown as she addressed Spitfire. "Neither of you."
"Watching her cut that monster in half..." The captain started, nodding her grim understanding, "I wouldn't dare try."
The radio piece on Flash's shoulder buzzed softly, and he held a hand to both Sunset and Spitfire as he plugged an earpiece into it and listened in. There was a conversation happening between Sunset and Spitfire, but he was focused on the voice in his ear.
"...Demon sighted at Canterlot City Convention Hall, civilians are cleared but we're being overrun, we need backup-" The voice was cut off by a cry of pain and a stabbing sound, likely the speaker meeting an unfortunate fate. Flash pulled the piece from his ear.
"Sunset, we need to go," He said. "Another demon."
"Alright, where to?" Sunset hopped to her feet and properly secured her sword around her back.
"Convention Hall. Downtown."
"Okay," Sunset pointed to the captain, giving her a nod as she walked to her bike. "Get Pinkie somewhere safe, then you might want to bring your guys down our way."
"Civilian safety is our priority," Spitfire said, "However... I've got my radio frequency on one-four-oh point eight-five." She nodded to Flash's radio. "Give me a call if you get in a bind, I'll see what I can do for you."
"Will do," Flash nodded, mounting his bike again. Though he'd like to talk to Pinkie, he figured another demon threat was more important.
Flash had a feeling he knew who it was, too. If he remembered correctly, there was a rock concert at the Convention Hall that was supposed to take place today.