//------------------------------// // Chapter 15 // Story: Incarnate // by Revel Montaro //------------------------------// Despite the numerous times Twilight and Sunset had both warned Rainbow Dash about not abusing her powers she could not help from testing the limits of her speed. One such test was to see how long it would take her to run from CHS to each of the homes of her close friends. She knew every turn, every short cut, and roughly how long it would take to get to each home. Three minutes and twenty-two seconds later she came to a skidding stop in front of the two story neo-victorian home that was clad in pinks and purples with highlights of indigo. Looking at it for a moment, Rainbow thought that either Twilight’s mom had been in charge of the paint job or Nightlight and Twilight Velvet dedicated the color scheme to their second child. The thoughts soon passed. Rainbow hopped up the steps and entered the door code, wiping her shoes on the mat before stepping in. “Anybody home? It’s just me, Rainbow Dash, came to get a book and head out.” “I hope you know which book, because this house has no shortage of books,” said Spike, trotting over from the kitchen. “Hey, what’s up, Spike. And, sure do. I need Sunset Shimmer’s journal, Rarity said she left it on the table,” Rainbow replied while giving Spike some chin scratches. “Oh! Good thing you came back for it. The thing started glowing not long after everyone left me behind… again.” Spike sighed. “I know Twilight is worried about Sunset, but I’m worried about her. I need to be there to help if she needs me, but I keep getting left behind.” “Well, come on then,” Rainbow said while picking up the book. “Where’s that huge backpack she uses for you to ride in? Gotta warn you though, I run really fast so keep your head down and things are probably going to get more crazy before they get better.” “All the more reason for me to support my girl,” said Spike, dragging the heavy canvas bag out of the closet before climbing inside. Rainbow Dash scooped up the bag and wiggled the book into the pack as well. It was a tight fit, but Spike didn’t mind as long as he got to be included in the adventure again. Once back on the porch, Rainbow relocked the door and did a few quick stretches. It was then that she noticed something odd on the sidewalk. Cautiously, Rainbow approached the oddity and found it to be a glowing hairline crack in the cement. The same kind she had seen on the statue base… the same kind that Midnight had caused when she was ripping reality apart. “Oh, that can’t be good.” ---------- Twilight felt her phone buzz and pulled it out to see the name, immediately connecting the call on speakerphone. “Did you not find the journal? Rarity said it was on the coffee table.” “Oh, no, I found it, but when I stepped back outside I also found magical cracks in the sidewalk so I started to follow them. They are leading back to CHS.” “Cracks? As in rips in the time/space reality?” They could all feel Rainbow nod and sense her hesitation. “Yeeeah, kinda like the ones you opened up at the games when… you know...” “But how? What is causing the magic to spread from the immediate area?” Twilight pondered aloud. “Um…” All eyes turned to the phone. “I think… it was me.” “Oh no! Is Dash becoming the next Midnight?!” Fluttershy said, eyes wide and teeth beginning to chatter. “Uh, no, I think I’m still me, but as I started to jog back to the school at super speed I noticed that cracks were about the same stride as my feet, then Spike pointed out to me new cracks were forming where I stepped.” “SPIKE IS WITH YOU?! Take him home this instant! It’s too dangerous for him to be here!” “NO!” shouted Spike. “You need me, Twilight! More so I need you, because I’m scared right now. I’m scared for everyone and even if all I can do is keep you grounded then that is how I help.” “So, what do I do? If I run at normal speed it will take me forever to get back, but apparently using our magic is destabilizing our reality.” “Did she just use destabilizing correctly in a sentence?” Twilight ignored Rarity’s quip and took a deep breath to calm down again, wishing more than ever she could wrap her arms around Sunset for comfort and strength. “No, we don’t have time for you to go slow. You need to run as fast as you safely can. It’s going to take all of us to fix this and if that means a few extra cracks then so be it. We’ll fix them too.” “But Twi, the only time we ever formed a rainbow without Sunset was with the princess. Will the six of us be enough?” said Applejack, voicing one of the many concerns they were all feeling. Several more large cracks began to spread across the plinth and up the new horse statue. The surges were coming faster now. “The plan hasn’t changed,” Twilight said with a finality, ending the phone call. “We need that book to contact the princess and after that, we just have to do our best. It’s all we can do.” ---------- Sunset Shimmer had been grinning so wide her face began to hurt a little. The coalescence stream flow had continued to pull her along, but had been unable to shake her with the binding spell keeping the threads wrapped around her left forearm. The ride had finally mellowed out and Sunset could see a glowing oval in the distance that was similar in shape to the now destroyed mirror glass. Like much of the void there was no land or point of reference, but Sunset could feel with her new heightened sense of awareness that power was being drawn to the portal like water seeking the path of least resistance. The constant swirling background of colors moved more uniform here and the portal itself, though disc shaped had a ripple and swirl to itself as well. Sunset spread her wings to slow down, knowing if she hit the portal at full speed she would likely continue through to the other side just as fast and splatter against the schools entrance. That would be an embarrassing way to die. Sunset pulled her wings in close to prepare for the dimensional transition, completely taken by surprise when instead of seeing the familiar CHS entrance she slammed against the portal as if it were a brick wall. “Arrrrrghhhh!” Sunset screamed in pain and lost her concentration on the binding spell, her left shoulder dislocated and collarbone broken in two. Sunset quickly reoriented herself and set the bone, casting the only healing spell she knew. It had dulled the pain and repaired most of the bone, but the shoulder still throbbed with sharp pain. The threads had formed into a globular gel and moved around the portal like a vertical Jello mold. Upon closer examination she found that the threads were being drawn through like water through a very tight mesh filter. Power seeped, but solid objects, like her, were blocked. “Dammit! Get back here!” Sunset’s horn lit up as she recast the spell to control the magic around the portal disc. As the magic gathered around her left arm again she could see six points of contact around the portal that were connected to the now broken corridor. Sunset reached out with her right hand, but felt no weak points, no gaps that could be exploited. In frustration, she punched the portal. “You have got to be kidding me! I am sick and tired of out of control magic and mirrors and, and, whatever the hell this place is!” Sunset punched the portal again. “Do you know who I am? I am SUNSET SHIMMER!” *crack* “I am the daughter of The Goddess of the Sun!” *crack* “I am the daughter of a unicorn king!” *crack* “I have fallen into a pit of despair so deep they don’t even have a name for it in Tartarus and clawed my way back out!” *crack* “I have fought monsters, magically possessed people, and ancient lost artifacts!” *crack* “And my girlfriend thinks I look gorgeous naked!” *CRACK CRACK CRACK* Sunset looked at her hands, the fingers broken and bleeding from punching the portal with everything she had. Surprisingly, it had not all been in vain as the invisible shield that denied her had several new cracks that glowed with yellow light. Sunset unsheathed her sword and raised it above her head. “I will NOT be defeated by YOU!” Before the strike could land a dark tendril slashed down at her back, cutting deep into her armor and left wing. Sunset screamed, her face bouncing off the portal, gashing her forehead. She quickly spun around and had to block a second attack with her blade, just barely able to deflect it. “Where do you think you are going? If one could simply leave this place do you not think I would have done so already?” The Sombra cloud was pulsing with red and green as more tendrils took shape and prepared to attack. Sunset took a moment to heal her hands, holding the sword in what she remembered to be the longsword ready position. It had been years since she had trained with a bladed weapon. Once old enough to catch the eyes of undesirables, Princess Celestia had insisted she take a basic self defense course that was offered by the royal guards. Unlike many of the other requests the princess had made in those days Sunset had agreed without argument. The captain had put Sunset through a two week training program on everything from basic hindleg back kicks to vital weak points, to advanced telekinetic weapon control. Sunset had found spears and polearms preferable because of the range they offered. She had only spent two days with a sword. The only other time she had used a sword was in a few hack and slash video games. After blocking and deflecting several more tendril attacks and counters, Sunset promised herself if she got out of this alive she owed Applejack an apology about how video games really were not a substitute for the real thing. “Very good, your form is clean if albeit simple. I wonder, is it obtained knowledge or was it programed with the ritual of your creation? It’s curious, but ultimately, it is irrelevant.” “You don’t have to do this,” Sunset said, taking a moment to catch her breath, even if that meant putting up with his monologues and gloating. “Celestia said you were a good king. If there is still light in your heart then let me help you. I know what it’s like to fall from grace, to stray from the path. I can help you.” “Yes, you can,” Sombra said with a toothy grin, “You may have cost me my prize, but not for long. I sense her power in you like never before, I will consume you and use your strength to finally tear myself from this place. I will break through to the human world first and ravage your friends, taking their power and maybe a little more if they attempt to resist. Then I will tear my way to Equestria and reclaim my sweet Celestia. So yes, beautiful daughter, you can help me greatly by dying.” Sunset screamed a battle cry. This monster was not coming anywhere near her friends, especially not Twilight. Sunset blocked and slashed, turned, blocked again, used her left hand to send a blast of fire to keep Sombra back, and then slashed again. Sombra sent more tendrils, twisting them to avoid her attacks and grinned when a strike broke through, tearing at her armor. He baited Sunset to over reach and struck her shoulder, breaking the plate and spearing through her flesh. Sunset screamed, using her horn to burn the tendril away, but the wound still bled, forcing her to use more power to stem the blood loss. I can’t keep this up all day, he’s too strong. I need help. Sunset grit her teeth and looked back at the portal. Girls, sure could use an assist right now. ---------- When Rainbow Dash came to a skidding stop, she set Spike down and walked over to her gathered friends, noting the increased magical damage to the statue and that some of the cracks had begun to spread to other parts of the campus. The Déjà vu was painful. Celestia and Cadence were a short distance away, talking on their phones. Most likely trying to do some form of damage or crowd control. Given how busy the road out front of the school was the happenings would not stay under wraps for much longer. Cracks in reality did have a tendency to attract attention. “Sooooo, I see things have gotten pretty horrible here and… yeah, I’m gonna stop now.” Twilight took the book from Rainbow Dash and began to flip through pages. “It was flashing earlier,” said Spike, trotting up next to Fluttershy who picked him up. The purple dog blissfully enjoying the extra attention. Twilight flipped to the last pages that had script on them and began to read, her lips moving, but the words too quiet for others to hear. However, there was no mistaking the relief and elation on her face as Twilight’s eyes lit up, a few tears escaping. Before anyone could ask, Twilight smiled and said breathlessly, “She’s alive,” then louder, “Sunset’s alive!” “WOOHOO! SUNNY’S ALIVE!” screamed Pinkie Pie to no one in particular, doing a few cartwheels and starling the principals. Twilight read on, then slammed the book closed. She wiped the shed tears away, adjusted her glasses, and turned to her friends. “According to Princess Twilight, because the portal is damaged, we have to help guide Sunset through what remains of the corridor.” “Alrighty, and how do we do that?” asked Applejack. Twilight approached the broken portal, staring at the blacked plinth that was lined with glowing cracks. She scowled at it as if it had committed some incorrigible cardinal sin. In a way, it had. While magic had become a fascination to Twilight and later an obsession, it was in comparison like a recreational drug. It was enticing, dangerous, and highly addictive to her, but it had also cost her a great deal of mental anguish and now was holding the love of her life prisoner. If she had to give up all her knowledge of magic, all the power her geode provided in order to save Sunset she would do it without question or hesitation. Twilight just hoped the others were willing to make the same sacrifice because if the princess was right this was going to cost them everything. “Because the doorway is broken, we have to act like a beacon, like a lighthouse for a ship on a dark and stormy night with no instrumentation. We create an anchor point for Sunset to find us. Our shared connections theoretically act like a lock and key. We focus our powers on good memories and feeling and all the times we have enjoyed with Sunset. We direct those feelings into our geodes and focus that power directly on the portal. After that, it’s up to Sunset to find the anchor and to push her way through.” Twilight paused, looking back on the five greatest friends anyone could have asked for. She paused for just a moment, considering holding back the last warning, but in that same instant struck the idea down. They deserved the truth. “Princess Twilight did warn that this is going to take every ounce of magic power we can muster. It… it is highly probable that it will drain us and our geodes so completely that we may never be able to wield magic again.” “Wait, you mean we are going to lose our superpowers? But I thought our magic was the magic of friendship? How can that be drained forever?” asked Rainbow, her hand clenched round her geode. Twilight’s expression twisted in annoyance. Did she really care about her powers more than Sunset’s life? “Oh, sweetie, we’ll always have friendship and we don’t need a magic rock to always find magic in being together. If I have to lose this power I was never meant to have to save a friend I gladly sacrifice it.” Twilight smiled at Rarity, she could not have said it any better herself. Rainbow let out a sad sigh but stepped up next to Twilight, hand on her shoulder and face resolute with determination. The others had also stamped out their hesitations, also placing their hands on top of Rainbow Dash’s. No power was worth trading a friend for. “Alright, happy thoughts, here we go.” Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and thought back to the numerous times she and Sunset had jammed on their guitars in the music room. She remembered the four day weekend motorcycle trip just the two of them had taken up through the twisting mountain roads and to the lookout campground. Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle had braved a raging, magically charged storm at sea to come save her when Rainbow had stolen a life raft and chased rampant magic during the spring break cruise. Now it was her turn to return the favor. Rainbow Dash ponied up and a glowing cerulean light shot from her outstretched hand towards the portal. Pinkie Pie ponied up in seconds, easily remembering the times she and Sunset had experimented with baking ideas in her family’s kitchen. Pinkie remembered the art class they shared together and the afternoons in her room dancing like fools to Pinkie’s latest musical dance mix. Well, Pinkie danced like a fool, Sunset somehow made it look good. It was easy to love Sunset Shimmer and Pinkie loved her friend very much and would not be truly happy again until she was smooshing Sunset in the biggest, warmest, and most loving hug the world had ever seen. She wanted her friend back so that she could see Twilight happy again and so they could be the lucky seven they were meant to be. Fluttershy closed her eyes and smiled. Sunset had changed so much for the better since that fateful Fall Formal dance so long ago. Not long after the events of the dance, Sunset had begged Fluttershy on her knees to be forgiven for all the times she had run the animal lover down, for all the jabs, threats, and bully tactics. Fluttershy had not fully understood why Sunset had felt it necessary to use such tactics to begin with, but had forgiven her on the condition that she prove she cared by volunteering at the animal shelter and with helping with the community center any time Fluttershy asked. Sunset had done so without hesitation. Fluttershy smiled and giggled, her wings extending from her back and ears emerging through flowing pink hair when she remembered the day Sunset had first seen Ray the gecko and gladly let him into her heart and home. Applejack recalled when Sunset had come to her for advice on everything from school projects to just every day inquiries. Sunset had come to value not only their friendship but her honest opinions and observations. On more than one occasion Sunset had come to help at the farm to work out frustrations of one or another, working hard without complaint. She had helped AJ with basic chores as well as some more complicated tasks such as fixing machinery or tending the horses. Applejack smiled at the memory of the two of them enjoying a casual ride around the property on horseback. They had talked about whatever came to mind and it had been a few blissful hours of no phones, or games, or problems. Just two girls riding along like AJ’s ancestors had done. Rarity giggled to herself as she remembered winning a bet and had Sunset as her own personal slave model for a whole afternoon. Sunset had stripped to her underwear and tried on every outfit Rarity had pinned to her followed by standing and posing as a figure drawing model for hours, all without a single complaint. In fact, thinking back, Rarity had recalled a small smile on Sunset’s face through most of it, eager to see the sketch designs. Rarity remembered one time calling Sunset to come rescue her from a terrible blind date. Sunset had walked in wearing her most notorious biker outfit and scooped Rarity up from the restaurant bridal style, putting her on the back of the motorcycle while her date was left gaping. They had enjoyed late night desserts, bad movies, and crashed on Sunset’s couch. It had been a perfect friend night. Twilight Sparkle had so many wonderful memories to choose from. She remembered working side by side with Sunset in their AP classes at school, cheering along side her at sporting events, attempting to win silly carnival games, or just hanging out in Twilight’s lab. Twilight loved how Sunset’s face would light up while brainstorming a problem or when they worked on a project. Always eager to help fix or fabricate a piece that Twilight needed. She recalled their camping trip on the lake under the stars and how wonderful it had been to share Sunset’s secret place. Twilight smiled and blushed, feeling her pony features come to being as she remembered making sweet love to Sunset and the bright, glorious smile Sunset had given her after singing their song to her. But of all the memories, most preciously, Twilight remembered being in that pocket dimension. She remembered being terrified for a moment, believing she had died in a blaze of golden magical fire. But instead of an angel of death coming to collect her, an angel of mercy and empathy had descended and reached out, nothing but love and compassion in those large, gorgeous, teal eyes. Take my hand, Twilight. Let me show you there’s another way. Just like someone once did for me. I love you so much, Sunset Shimmer, you saved me. Now, it’s my turn to save you. Six different colored beams of light shot forth creating an oval shape upon the broken plinth, slowly growing in brightness and intensity. ---------- Sunset panted and growled, her grip on her sword beginning to slip with sweat. She recognized the look in Sombra’s eyes. It was the face of a predator that was just toying with its kill. Sunset had made similar expressions back in the day whenever she had one over a target of her bullying. While Sunset was certain the sword did hurt him, he did grunt and fall back briefly every time she landed a solid hit, it however did not deter his attacks nor seem to be weakening the massive cloud body as a whole. “Getting tired, little sun?” the gloating was getting on her nerves too. “It must be difficult trying to keep up a shield to hold your body together and the spell to keep hold of all those magical threads while trying to fight me.” Sunset unleashed a blast of fire that did little damage to the cloud. “Didn’t anyone tell you? Women are natural multi-taskers.” “Even so, your power will not last forever. And there truly is no reason to keep fighting me. You cannot win. Once I have consumed your power and broken through to Equestria I can release your soul. I can set you free from this physical pain so that you may move on to whatever lies next. You need not suffer in this place as I did or struggle with so many injuries.” Sunset smiled in spite of her situation. Apparently today was movie quote day. “Life is pain, highness, anyone who says differently is selling something.” “As you wish! Then pain you shall have!” Sombra surged forward, more tendrils than Sunset had any chance to block launched at her from every direction. Sunset spun and slashed with all her strength and speed. She lost track of where Sombra’s face was until it was inches from hers and a sharp, excruciating pain pierced her abdomen. Sunset dared to glance down and found several tendrils had combined into a single spiral lance that impaled her. She could feel the black goo beginning to leach from the weapon and spread through her midsection like angry barb covered ants. It hurt so much Sunset was unable to scream, her vision going white and ears ringing. “That’s it, just give in, just die. Daddy will make sure you get to rest soon.” “No… I, never… uggh!” Sunset tried to cut herself free, but another tendril was wrapped around her right wrist, trying to pry the sword from her hand. Keep your head and think, dammit! This psycho son of a bitch is going to rape you to a pulpy mass and then destroy Equestria if you don’t get your shit together, Shimmer! Sunset looked to her left and saw the swirling mass of energy around her left arm… her unmolested left arm. Bingo. “Hey, Dad. You like physics? Here’s a good one. The law… of conservation of energy states,” Sunset spat blood, her teeth stained red, but she smiled through the pain. “Energy is neither created nor destroyed, but rather transferred from one form to another.” Sombra paused, an amused grin on his barely equine face. “Meaning?” Sunset grinned right back at him. “Meaning I’ve been holding onto a magical hand grenade this whole time.” Sunset’s horn flashed, she placed her glowing left hand directly in Sombra’s face and released the energy she had been holding into a focal point, that being Sombra’s horn. Star Swirl had stated that once the mirrors had been closed and the in between sealed off that the built up energy would have subsided on its own. That did not mean said energy couldn’t be helped along with being bled off. As long as someone was crazy or desperate enough to let the magical equivalent of an incendiary explosive device go off at point blank range. Sombra was thrown back, his barbed lance was pulled out as well. Sunset felt all the breath leave her along with what she was sure were some of her internal organs and a gushing torrent of blood. Sombra was flailing and howling in pain as he attempted to reform his shredded and burning cloud mass. Sunset took the flat of her flaming sword and pressed it to her wound to cauterize the damage. She was already in so much pain the burning hardly registered. Sunset staggered back, fighting to keep her eyes open, barely able to hold onto her sword. She had one, maybe two more attacks left until she passed out. Sunset looked at her now thoroughly burned left arm, all the armor gone, the skin scalded uncomfortably close in shade to the scarlet demon that still occasionally haunted her nightmares. At least it would all be over soon. With the magic now flowing back into the cosmic chaos of the in between it was probably safe to say Earth and her friends would be safe. It was a hollow victory, but protecting Twilight was at least something. Sunset’s damaged left hand fell back against the portal where six emblems that resembled cutie marks were now glowing where none had been before. Upon contact a gentle, soothing sensation washed over her. It was like a blast of cool water on a hot summer day. Sunset looked down and saw that the burns were already healing, lessening in intensity as a different and yet oh so familiar magic gathered in her palm. She could feel it, Sunset could feel all six of them. Laughter, kindness, honesty, loyalty, generosity, and magic all reaching for her, shining a rainbow light down the dark corridor to show her the way home. Sunset cried tears of joy and smiled. They had not forgotten her, they had not abandoned her. Her friends were there, waiting, offering their power once more to help defeat one more enemy and bring Sunset Shimmer home. Sunset looked up as the Sombra cloud roared. His features had grown grotesque and further twisted where almost nothing equine remained. His mouth had grown immense, now moving, no, slithering back to her and wide enough to attempt to swallow Sunset whole. Sunset looked at the ball of swirling rainbow light that she now held in her hand, the full might and love of her friends, given freely. The power and magic of friendship. Sunset glanced at her sword and for a moment wondered. If the weapon was a part of her that would mean, hypothetically it was a manifestation of her being and her imagination. A sword had a great deal of symbolism behind it in both Equestria and Earth, but it was hardly the only weapon ever made or even the most powerful. And if it was created by her mind that would mean the sword could be changed if she thought about it hard enough. Sunset looked up at the fast approaching Sombra monster and flashed her trademark Sunset smirk. The sword handle reshaped into a rifle grip, the blade reforming into a large frame body with an open magazine slot just past the trigger guard and a short, but wide barrel that’s muzzle was the diameter of a softball. The rainbow ball reshaped into a massive ordinance shell and Sunset inserted it into the open receiver, which closed when she cocked the primer mechanism on the newly formed BFG. Seven rainbow colored LEDs came to life along the barrel and the entire weapon hummed with an ominous yet soothing rumble. Sunset held the weapon firmly, waiting for Sombra to come closer. She had one shot and one chance to end this. Just like so many of those first person shooter games she had played, sometimes you had to wait for the perfect shot. I guess all that time gaming really did come in handy. Serpent Sombra did not seem to notice the change in her weapon nor slow down to care. He opened his maw as far as he could, fangs dripping with green and indigo saliva, long tongue licking the teeth in anticipation for what would surely be a tasty morsel. Sunset’s smirk turned upside down to a deadly sneer as she pulled the trigger. “Bang, motherfu-” The sound was deafening, the rainbow blast left the muzzle with almost no recoil and widened upon exit to inundate the surprised Sombra. He choked on the rainbow laser that spread through his cloud body, excess energy exploding forth and growing in intensity. Sombra barely squeaked out a sound before his entire body went white and exploded into a cloud of glowing yellow dust. Sunset blinked the spots from her eyes and watched as several of the particles clung together as they drifted and formed what appeared to be the silhouette of a handsome unicorn stallion. Maybe it was a trick of the light or just her imagination, but Sunset could have sworn the particles smiled at her before falling apart to be swept away on cosmic winds. Sunset lowered the cannon that reformed back into a sword. She said a silent prayer of forgiveness for what she had done then turned back to the portal. With the remainder of her strength Sunset thrust the blade into the shield around the golden disc and cut her way through. ---------- Celestia and Cadence stood by and watched as six teenagers stood together, their hands raised, eyes closed in concentration, soft pastel colors emanating from their bodies. They had each, “ponied up,” as the soft glow became more intense and rainbow light shot from their hands at the base of the statue. The base, which was already riddled with glowing cracks, shuddered and crumbled further. Cadence looked to Celestia who glanced back, feeling equally helpless. “I feel like we should be doing more.” Celestia shrugged. “Just between us, I had hoped after they had graduated I would be done with having to explain away strange magical incidents to the police or school board. That being said, I really do hope Sunset Shimmer succeeds in bringing a close to all of this.” Cadence nodded without ever taking her eyes off the stone plinth. The entire base was beginning to remind her of what happens when stick a sealed container in the microwave. “Is it just me or is that thing about to ex-” The blast wave blew all six girls, two educators, and a dog off their feet. Celestia and Cadence had recovered first, immediately rushing to the teenagers to inspect for injuries. Thankfully, whatever the energy released was had not thrown the stone chunks far. Instead, the sides crumbled over leaving a glowing oval in what had once been the center of the statue base. The once mighty rearing horse had crumbled to just a few large chunks, fallen to the side of what was left of the plinth. “Is everyone okay?” asked Cadence, helping the girls back to their feet. Celestia sighed as she looked at the new broken statue. “I don’t think we are going to fix it again after this.” Twilight nodded, her hand instinctively reaching for her geode only to find it missing. Rarity gasped loudly when she too found hers missing. A moment later all the girls confirmed that their geodes had shattered, Pinkie Pie finding the pieces on the ground where they had been standing just moments before. “Well, I sure hope to the Almighty that weren’t no monster tryin’ to break through. Otherwise, might be time to call the National Guard.” Twilight was about to comment when a flaming sword pierced the veil of the portal causing Fluttershy to scream and cling tightly to Rainbow Dash. Rainbow in turn, held her friend, eyes wide at the sight of the burning weapon. Rainbow was certain she had seen a horror movie that had started like this. The sword was soon followed by the one holding it. The young woman of goldenrod skin and clad in burnt, broken, and blood stained armor stepped out of the void, her flaming wings spread to their full extent. Sunset turned back to the void and raised her left hand as the glowing horn on her head burned the same color as the sun. Energy gathered in her palm before shooting forth, bouncing along the ground, sealing all the ethereal cracks that had appeared in the earth and sidewalk. She clenched her fist and the magic returned. The portal began to shrink until all that remained was a simple crack floating in mid-air. Sunset pressed the last of the energy in her palm to the crack and it flashed, making a small pop sound, disappearing as if it had never been there at all. Slowly, Sunset Shimmer turned back to the group that had not said a word or moved an inch. She smiled warmly at them, eyes locking on the bespectacled girl who was clutching her chest. Sunset’s smile fell as her eyes rolled back up into her head and she collapsed into a heap. Her wings faded away along with the last of her armor and the flaming sword. “SUNSET!” they all shouted in near unison. Twilight pulled her girlfriend close and found her hands immediately covered in blood. Twilight gasped and began to search for the source of the blood loss. Upon inspection she found Sunset’s clothes in a tattered mess, her body covered in burns, cuts and at least two gaping wounds that blood was continuing to pour from. Without having to ask, Cadence was the first to dial for an ambulance. Fluttershy began ripping strips of cloth from her dress to press upon the wounds. “We have to apply pressure to stop the blood loss or she’s going to die in minutes,” Fluttershy said, handing one of the impromptu bandages to Rainbow Dash. “She’s fucking bleeding everywhere!” Twilight placed Sunset’s head in her lap while the others tried to stem the bleeding. Sunset groaned as they applied pressure to the wounds. “Sunset,” Twilight demanded, “Sunset Shimmer, look at me! You have to stay awake!” Two bleary teal eyes opened and blinked slowly. Twilight smiled through her tears as she stroked Sunset’s hair and cheek. Sunset smiled as blood dripped from the corner of her mouth. She coughed, a sick sucking sound in her chest, her limbs shaking slightly from the shock beginning to set in, but despite it all, Sunset smiled again. Sunset reached up, pulling Twilight closer. “I’m… home.” The hand dropped as Sunset fell unconscious. “SUNSET!”