//------------------------------// // Flashes of Midnight // Story: Altered Perspectives: Adapting to Change // by CapNTilfy //------------------------------// Sunny Flare was back at Canterlot High, and the Friendship Games were almost over. "Release the magic!" Twilight Sparkle walked into the middle of the playing field, clutching her pendant tightly. "We're not friends here, after all!" Sunny watched as Twilight began to open her device. "The last event of the Friendship Games begins... now!" Twilight's pendant opened fully, and she became fully enveloped in a ball of white energy. A chill ran through Sunny's body as she watched Twilight emerge. Twilight had transformed in a... a demon of some kind! Her skin had darkened considerably, and her hair flowed as though it was a black, purple, and rose flame with a jagged horn. She grinned psychotically with wide, glowing blue eyes and red pupils. She flapped her lengthy, feathery wings to stay aloft. Demonic, maniacal cackling rung out from Twilight's mouth, and Sunny Flare froze up. She was so frightened, she couldn't even think! Suddenly, Twilight shot beams of magic out of her hands, opening numerous portals to what looked like a world filled with small horses that... seemed to able to talk?! Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Cinch slowly walking away. "W... Where are you g-going?" Cinch turned around, and she had sported an expression Sunny had never seen from her: pure terror. "I'm going to stay alive," Cinch said, then ran away as fast as she could. Sunny turned back around to see Sugarcoat, Sour Sweet, Lemon Zest, and Indigo Zap, each of them fearful for their lives. "Shit... I think we're all going to die here..." Lemon shivered as tears ran down her eyes. "I-I don't want to die..." Indigo went catatonic, simply staring forward as though her life was flashing before her eyes. Sour's fearful expression faded, and she sighed, then closed her eyes. Sugarcoat was frantically running around, shouting for Neon. Sunny looked around herself. Portals everywhere, people screaming in terror... and there was nothing that could be done. Rutherford... I guess I'll be seeing you again sooner than I'd thought... Sunny watched as a huge crack in the ground formed and nearly swallowed a student. Another student... Applejack, she believed, had dived forward and grabbed the other student, then pulled her up. Sunny felt a warmth in her chest as she watched the Wondercolts save their fellow students and Shadowbolts alike. She glanced at her teammates, and suddenly felt a burst of adrenaline as they all nodded in unison. It was like magic. Sunny ran over to where Twilight's dog was and hurriedly grabbed the student-the one she remembered calling 'dearie', by the elbows. Much to her surprise, the student began to emit a yellow aura! Sunny watched as another student spoke to Twilight's monstrous form. "True magic comes from honesty!" Sunny blinked in surprise as Applejack's hair began to float upwards. "Loyalty!" Another student's hair floated. "Laughter!" A pink-skinned student next to Sour had her poofy hair rise up. "Generosity!" The student next to Indigo did the same. "Kindness!" The hair of the student next to Sunny rose as well, and she watched as the auras from those five students pour into Twilight's amulet, which that one student had held open. The student closed it, then hurled it to the ground, shattering it as she became engulfed in a light similar to Twilight's. Sunny panicked. There were going to be two of them now?! The student emerged, sporting glowing golden wings. Her red and gold hair flowed in the same way the other students' did. Her pink dress shimmered from the light of her wings, and she began to repair the tears in reality. "No", Twilight's demonic form shouted as she charged towards the other student. Blue spheres of magic appeared from her hands, and the two clashed in midair, causing a bright light to flash. Sunny yelped in pain and covered her eyes as the fighting continued. Loud explosions caused her ears to ring, and she glanced around. All the students seemed to be safe... for now, at least. She looked back up to the battle, then gasped. Twilight was winning! Something inside of Sunny had told her to run, but she couldn't. She had to see the outcome of this battle. "Twilight!" Sunny blinked, then noticed Twilight's pet dog run in the direction of the battle. Wait. Did the dog just... talk?! Sunny shook her head and watched as the dog stopped and gazed desperately in Twilight's direction. Twilight glanced downward, and her eyes turned back to normal. She spoke, but Sunny couldn't hear what was said. The other student seemed to take note of Twilight's distraction, and used it to her advantage, causing both of them to be engulfed in a white light. Sunny stood still, worried about the outcome. Each moment felt like an eternity until the white light began to dissipate, with Twilight and the other student descending to the ground. Sunny breathed a sigh of relief and put her hand to her chest. Her heart was beating furiously! She walked up to Twilight, only to pause. Something felt off. She shook her head. It must just be her imagination. As Sunny neared Twilight, she began to feel a sense of dread. That it truly wasn't over. No. It was just the adrenaline talking. Everyone was safe, and everyone was okay. Physically okay, at least. "Twilight," Sunny said as she approached her. "I'm so glad you're okay... you are okay, aren't you?" Twilight laughed softly. "Yes, Sunny, I'm okay..." Her eyes suddenly turned bright blue. "Now that you're here!" She grabbed Sunny and shook her violently, and everything went black. "Sunny! Answer me, Sunny!" Glaze shook Sunny in a panic. Sunny opened her eyes with a loud gasp, then broke free of Glaze's grip and crawled backwards until she came into contact with her bedroom wall. She panted, then realized where she was and saw her parents give her very worried looks. She all but launched herself into their arms and hugged them tightly with a sigh of relief.