//------------------------------// // Chapter 31- A heated argument // Story: My immortal phoenix. // by Lieral //------------------------------// Sunset spent all day with a strange feeling. She had no idea what it was exactly, and for some reason, she had been strangely melancholic, almost as if a piece of her past was ready to knock her door, and there is no way this will be a good thing. She played games, talked with Spike and did everything like she always does, but she was always on the edge, expecting everything to attack her back. So, when Twilight said that today is Ponyville’s foundation party she gladly accepts to be part of it hoping to relax a little. “And that’s why we dog sniffs each other’s butts,” Spike proudly said. “That’s deep,” Sunset wears a solemn expression. “I can’t believe we’re talking about this,” Twilight sighed with a hand holding her forehead. “Can we please play these games and go back to the stage? I think the band will be starting in an hour, and I would love to stay as close as possible,” “C'mon Twi,” Sunset smiled. “Cheer up! Why don’t you try something too?” “I’m not good at these games,” Twilight answered. “And a good part of them are made just to fool people. It’s simply impossible to win,” “SUNSET LOOK!” Spike ran toward a big stand apparently run by two twins with red hair. “They’re offering a new video game for anyone that manages to ring the bell up there,” “Really?” Sunset soon closed their distance. “Oh, yes Madame,” One of the twins approached them with a smile as the other stayed a little behind, the only thing that is different in them is that one has a mustache and the other no. “Easy as pie, isn’t it?” “Had you ever tried baking a pie?” Twilight frowned. “It’s definitely not that easy,” “It’s just a saying Milady,” The second brother approached too. “What he wants to say is that anyone could win this game. All you have to do is hit this button down there with as much force as possible so this nothing suspicious device hit the bell. And you have to do is pay a small tax,” “Please Twilight, let me compete,” Sunset offered her signature puppy eyes. “Just once will be enough,” “You’re confident Madame,” Mustache guy said. “Just twenty bits for three tries,” “TWENTY?” Twilight almost yelled. “Twilight, a new video game will cost much more than that,” Sunset pleaded. “Why do you want a new video game for anyway?” Twilight lifts her eyebrow. “You still haven’t finished all my games,” “Well, that’s…” Sunset turned her gaze toward Spike that shakes his head violently. “That’s a secret right now,” “What?” Twilight frowned again. “Why is this secret? What happened with my 3DS?” “Oh, is that what you’re worried? The 3DS is fine, I swear,” Sunset was apparently being honest. “But I REALLY want to try it, please, just once,” Twilight sighed. “Fine,” She said and put the money on the table. “We want our three tries. And for your sake, it is better that there is no cheating here,” “Don’t worry Milady,” No mustache guy smiled and took the money. “Just let your friend trie have confidence,” “Riiight,” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Take the hammer Sunset, but please, do not exaggerate, okay?” Sunset gladly took a really big hammer and stopped right in front of the button. “Leave it to me,” She lifts the hammer above her head and lowered it with just a little amount of her force, but the impact was so violent that the device almost reached the top in less than a second… Almost. It stopped a single inch before hitting the bell and fell again. The red-haired girl stared the device open-mouthed. Twilight sighed again. Of course, there was something to stop the device from hitting the bell; there is simply no other explanation for Sunset’s strength not being enough. “Told ya,” “The second try,” Sunset lifts the hammer again. If that much force was not enough all she had to do is to use more force. She hit the button again without listening Twilight’s words, and just like the first try the device stopped before hitting the bell. “THAT’S IT! TWILIGHT, HOLD MY JACKET,” She yelled and took off her black jacket and thrown it toward her friend exposing her blue shirt and naked arm. “Sunset I don’t think this is a good…” Twilight tried to warn Sunset but before she could finish her phrase she already hit the button with a tremendous amount of force, literally exploding the button and making the device not only hit the bell but destroying it completely. “Idea…” “Hunf,” Sunset adjusted her posture and cleaned the dirt from her shirt completely ignoring everyone’s stares and the open-mouthed scared twins. “Told you to leave it to… Me…” She turned her gaze toward Twilight, but it was not the girl that caught her eyes. “No way,” She whispered. A small part of Twilight’s brain caught Sunset’s stare and turned her gaze toward the same place. A lot of people was staring them, from small families to couples, everyone stopped to look at the red-haired, but only one of them mirrored Sunset’s expression, and for her surprise, it was one of her old classmates from high school Octavia Melody. She was holding the hand of another old classmate Vinyl Scratch and a Violoncello, but her expression was frozen in a mix of different emotions. Her eyes darted back from Sunset to Twilight to the people and finally to Vinyl and suddenly her expression changed to anger. Twilight froze on the spot just like Spike. Both of them knows that girl for years and neither of them never had seen her angry with anything, quite the opposite, she always had been calm, controlled and reserved. She said something to Vinyl with signs. There are years since Twilight had used sign language, but she manages to understand ‘Stay here, I will be back soon’, gave her instrument to the blue-haired girl and started to walk toward them, more precisely, toward Sunset. “What are you doing here?” Octavia completely ignored Twilight and spoke with a dangerous tone of voice. “I can ask you the same thing,” Sunset answered in an equally cold voice. “I never thought you would have survived that day,” “What?” Twilight gave a step back. What is happening? She had simply no idea. Why in the world Sunset knows Octavia? Why is Octavia so furious? She hugged Sunset’s jacked as if trying to feel safer. “Twilight, what’s happening?” Spike stopped by her side staring the two with fear clear on his eyes. “There’s something wrong here,” It was no question, it was an affirmation. “I survived because you were too incompetent to kill me, monster,” Octavia roared. “And so spoke the devil,” Sunset roared back. Before Twilight could even understand what she had said something even more surprising happened. Within a single second Octavia punched Sunset. And for the first time in a long time, Twilight felt a shiver of horror in her spine. Sunset did not manage to block the punch and was sent flying with so much force she destroyed the closer stand and hit a wall cracking it entirely, from top to bottom. Vinyl Scratch appeared from apparently nowhere and put a hand on Octavia’s shoulder forcing her to look at her. She did not have to make any sign for anyone to understand what she wanted to ask. “NOT NOW, VINYL, STAY BACK!” Melody yelled scaring her girlfriend, Twilight and everyone around. “You’re getting rusty,” Sunset’s voice was heard. She walked through the smoke while cleaning her shirt. “If you want to hurt me, it will take much more than that,” That was what everyone needed to hear to run away as fast as possible and hide. "Fine by me," Octavia put Vinyl behind herself in a protective manner and gave a step closer. "Let's finish what we started," A monstrous amount of pressure was freed and all of it toward Sunset that just shrugged. "I almost ripped your heart off your chest once," She answered by freeing just as much killing intent. "And nothing will change this time," "Let's see, watchdog," Octavia answered and stomped hard once and her phrase apparently ignited more of Sunset's anger. Before neither of them could give another step forward two girls and a dog stop in front of them with arms wide open and shaking violently. "ENOUGH," Twilight said with a firm voice despite her fear as Vinyl stared Octavia firmly without her characteristic glasses. Everyone watching held their breath while waiting for the answer of the two monsters. Sunset stared Twilight for a few seconds without saying nothing. She turned her gaze toward Octavia that was having a silent discussion with the blue haired girl. She took a deep breath and heard another voice saying exactly what she was going to say. "We should finish this In a more ... Civilized way," Octavia cleared her throat once. "What do you think, Sunset Shimmer?" "It's fine by me," Sunset answered without taking her eyes from Twilight. "If we continue there will be too much collateral damage," "Agreed," Octavia took her instrument. "Please, wait with Twilight Vinyl. We have... Unfinished business," Sunset Shimmer and Octavia Melody stared each other from across the table without the smaller sign of trust. "So, what are you doing here?" Octavia was the first one to ask. "I live here now," Sunset drank a little of her drink. "Is this tea?" "Yes," Octavia also drank from her teacup. "A friend of mine works here," "I see," Sunset put down her own teacup. "I had no idea you survived that day," "Sadly for you, I did," Octavia sighed. "But why are you here? With your power, you could have found a portal to where you came," Sunset watched as the other girl smiled. "Yes, but I have no intention of doing so," "Why?" Sunset asked. "You were probably the strongest demon in hell," "My strength is of no importance. I just do not want to go back to that life," Octavia closed her eyes. "I have something far more important for me here," "Huh?" Octavia stared Sunset for a few seconds. "What I mean, is that I love Vinyl, and I have no intention of leaving her behind," "Love?" Sunset looked confused. She already heard this word before, but she never gave them too much thought. But if that 'love' can keep a demon here... "What exactly is love?" "Of course you would not understand. Love is a feeling. Had you ever felt so close to a person that you cannot stop thinking about her?" Octavia smiled with a dreamy expression. "Sometimes you think you are an idiot because just staying with that person is enough to make you happy. To have confusing feelings like butterflies in your stomach. To feel like spending an eternity by her side is not enough time. To close your eyes at night and dream about her. Well, I have," She turned her gaze back to Sunset and had a big surprise with her expression... The understanding was clear on her features. Octavia stared Sunset for a few more seconds before smiling. "And I guess you have felt that too," "The name of what I feel for Twilight... Is love?" Sunset asked. "Honestly I cannot answer that," Octavia drank her tea like a lady. "Only you can say if you are in love or not. Try seeing some movies, there is a million of them talking about it," She stood up and adjust her instrument on her back. "I am sorry for our heated argument back there. But I probably have to explain a lot to Vinyl now," She wears a really sad expression. "I hoped this day never comes you know. The day I would have to tell her who I was," "She does not know about you?" Sunset asked standing up too. "Not yet," Octavia turned away and apparently cleaned her left eye. "It is not something you says during breakfast," Her voice was clearly shaking as if on verge of tears. "And I am scared... That she might leave me for that," "What if you do not tell her?" She smiled sadly. "She always knows when I am lying. And this makes her suffer, and I cannot allow her to suffer for my fault," "But if she left you then you will suffer," Sunset asked confused. "But I prefer suffering alone to see her suffering with me," These were Octavia's last words before she left. "Wait just a minute there, let me put this straight," Luckily Twilight was already sat when Sunset finished her story. "Years ago you saw a naturally formed portal opening in front of you, then you tripped on a rock and fell inside it," "The portal apparently led you literally to hell where you fought a horde of demons which include one of Twilight's old classmates, Octavia Melody," Spike finished. "Well, that's basically it," Sunset shrugged. "She did not liked to see me here because she thought I was a threat" "Wow," Twilight stared the floor for a few seconds. "I wander how is Vinyl handling it," "Yeah, I mean, those two had been together since high school," Spike shakes his head slowly. "It's not everyday that you learn that the person you love is a demon," "Should we go see them?" Twilight asked. "I don't know what you two talked exactly, but she already stopped seeing you as a threat, didn't she?" "I think," Sunset said. "But think it is better for us to give them some space... Or..." She smiled. "What are you thinking?" Twilight asked distrustful. Octavia Melody was a demon, and a really powerful one. She had been at verge of death and survived a battle against a demon just as fearsome as she was. But the despair she felt during this occasion was nothing near what she is feeling now. “Do you want something to eat?” She asked trying as hard as possible to avoid what she was supposed to be doing. Vinyl Scratch on the other hand, held a fierce expression with both her arms crossed in front of her chest. She shakes her head much for Octavia’s sadness. “We have to talk about what happened, right?” Vinyl nodded once. Octavia sighed and walked toward her girlfriend. “Okay… Like you already guessed I already have met that girl before,” She saw as one of Vinyl’s temples tremble a little. The blue-haired girl spoke in signs like always does. ‘She was close to you?’ “What do you mean?” She asked confused as vinyl sighed. ‘She was your girlfriend?’ “WHAT? NO!” Octavia answered fast. “We only met once before, and it is not a good remembrance for anyone,” She said and for some reason unbuttoned the three first buttons of her gray social shirt. “Some time ago you asked what happened with me,” Now a huge scar could be seen right above her heart. “And she was the one who did that,” Vinyl’s eyes widened, but not in surprise. Instead, a blazing anger reached her features. She instantly turned away and started to run toward she had last seen Sunset, but someone stopped her. “DON’T,” Octavia was holding Vinyl’s hand firmly but also gently. “In a way, I deserved that,” ‘WHAT? HOW WOULD YOU DESERVE THAT?’ Vinyl’s movements were fast and furious. If she could talk she would clearly be yelling. “Because…” Tears finally started to fall from Octavia’s eyes much to Vinyl’s surprise. She never had seen her girlfriend crying. “Before I met you, she and I were from another world,” Vinyl’s eyes widened. Octavia is not a liar, definitely. “She was from a world mirrored with this one, and I…” She finally met her eyes tearfully. “I was a demon,” Vinyl stopped fighting back. “I lived all my life in hell,” The tears are getting stronger. “I hated that place, more than anything. And one day she accidently opened a portal between her world and mine’s. We fought for a long time until many portals appeared around us and one of them led to this world. It distracted me for a second and she managed to give me this blow,” She pointed at her chest without taking her eyes from Vinyl’s. “I managed to run away to the portal and reached this world, where I met you,” Vinyl hears everything while holding Octavia’s hand all the time. Her heart was beating faster as many new information were simply thrown at her. “I met you and… I love you. I love you more than anything,” Octavia gave a step closer with her eyes full of fear and despair. “I was afraid that if you knew about my past you would leave me forever. But after what you saw I cannot hide it anymore,” Surprisingly she assumed a very rigid posture. “But I am ready to your decision… Whatever it is,” Suddenly an explosion on the sky caught their attention much to Octavia’s confusion. The fireworks should only be fired after the concert is finished, so why is it being fired now… From the top of a building? She turned her gaze toward the origin and was surprised by seeing three very distinct figures; a dog and two girls were on top of the building watching them from above, and one of them is stretching her arm toward the sky with a magic circle that was firing many breathtaking fireworks. She felt a hand holding her face firmly and turned to face Vinyl just to have her breath literally taken away by a very passionate kiss. Her eyes widened in surprised for a second, and on the next one she kissed her back. A tear of happiness fell from her eyes. "That was a good idea," Twilight smiled as she watched the pair bellow them. "You're a good friend Sunset," Spike complimented waving his tail and Sunset Shimmer smiled. "Hey, Spike," Twilight narrowed her eyes. "Are those two girls down there Pinkie Pie and Applejack?" "Hell yeah, they are!" Spike said surprised. "Two birds, one stone," Sunset grinned.