//------------------------------// // Volume II - Chapter 2: The Symbiote // Story: The Amazing Sunset Shimmer // by KozLeMage //------------------------------// “My heart is set and I won’t back down…” Sunset said to herself, tapping her finger against her desk to the rhythm she was humming, writing the lyrics on her new music notebook, “Yeah, that’s not bad.” The winter ball was in five days and the song was practically over. At least she could do something right this week, Sunset was still frustrated the search for Conhorse was at a dead end. Even with the information she got from Black Cat, she couldn’t get a grip of him. A part of her was grateful towards Black Cat, Sunset would never have thought to get help from one of her enemies, then again, was Black Cat really her enemy? She learned a lot from her, from the goblin formula to the name of this Starlight Glimmer girl. And it wasn’t the easiest thing to admit but, a part of the young super-hero actually liked the silver haired thief. Now she had to find out what this goblin formula was and what it does. ‘Maybe it’s something similar to what happen to me?’ Sunset thought. She also tried to get help from The Fiend, but he ghosted her for the past few days, he had only replied earlier, saying that he was busy. Busy to do what? Sunset didn’t know and it was irritating her. She had to tell him everything but he was still keeping her in the dark. Sunset sighed. Sunset also heard that a new student was coming tomorrow, and it was someone important. Sunset didn’t really care but she had to admit that she was a bit intrigued. She put her elbow on her desk, her head laying on her hand, “The more I try to find answers, the more I end up with questions…” ‘Conhorse… Starlight Glimmer… The goblin formula… Where is the connection?’ She asked herself. She slapped herself and punched her desk, “Focus Sunset!” She opened another page from her notebook and started to do a mind map to help herself. She wrote Conhorse name, Starlight Glimmer name, Discorp and the Green Goblin. She returned to her notebook, but even if she was trying her best to focus, she didn’t succeed. She sighed and grabbed her disposable phone, trying to call The Fiend one more time. At Sunset’s surprise, this time he picked up and lets out a growl. “What?” He said, “I said I was busy.” “Come on dude I need your help!” Sunset said, “What are you doing anyway?” “None of your business.” He replied. Sunset pinched the edge of her nose and closed her eyes, “Listen, I need your help as soon as possible, it’s about Conhorse.” “What about him? You’ve found him?” “No, but Cat said that she knew someone who might know where he is. Her name is Starlight Glimmer.” Sunset explained, now that she had him, she wasn’t going to let her chance go to waste. “Starlight… Glimmer?” The Fiend asked, but this time, Sunset could hear that he was intrigued. “Are you sure that’s the name she gave to you?” “Yeah, totally sure. Why?” The Fiend didn’t reply, making Sunset more annoyed that she already was. “Still here?” She asked. “Y-yeah…” Sunset noticed something changed about his voice, “Okay I’ll help you.” “Really?” Sunset almost screamed in excitement. “Yes, it’s better if I go with you anyway, last time I let you alone, you befriended a criminal.” Sunset rolled her eyes, “Come on, Cat isn’t that bad.” “Listen to you, you even gave her a nickname, how adorable.” The Fiend taunted, “Anyway, I’ll find where… Starlight Glimmer is. In the meantime, don’t do anything stupid.” “Me?” Sunset asked, “Since when do I do stupid stuff?” “Getting yourself caught on camera, showing your face to a criminal, making your identity known to the most dangerous criminal this city ever had, making friend with a thief… Do I have to go on?” “Okay, okay, I get the point.” Sunset said in a huff. “You must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed, because someone is unpleasant today.” “I wonder why.” The Fiend finished, ending up the call. Sunset frowned and threw the phone one her desk. “What’s wrong with him? Did I do something?” Sunset asked herself. “Uh, who knows what’s going on in his head anyway.” She tapped her pen against her desk and started to think about the whole situation. ‘Okay so, we have to find Starlight Glimmer because she maybe knows something about where Conhorse is… Maybe she knows about the goblin formula? Maybe I can ask Twilight about that one… No, that’s probably a bad idea, she already took big risks helping me last time.’ She thought. “But something is certain, and is that Discorp and the Green Goblin are working together.” She said with a frown. “It’ll explains a lot actually… Electro, the Vulture and that other guy, the Shocker…” She lay her head on her desk and started scratching it with both her hands, “Argh! I feel like the answer is just under my nose!” Meanwhile… “I wonder why.” Red stated before hanging up the phone. He raised up his head and sighed at the view of the families hanging out in Canterlot Park. He turned around and looked at the little girl sat on a bench next to him, when his glare crossed hers, she smiled at him. “Sorry kid, I had to take that.” Wendy jumped on her feet and glared at him, stars in her eyes, “It was super-hero stuff wasn’t it?!” She asked. Red smirked and scratched the back of his head, “It seems like I can’t hide anything from you.” Red took a sit on the bench, and Wendy followed him closely, “Thanks again,” She said, “I’m glad I could escape this place for a few hours…” The girl finished, sadness in her voice. It made Red bite his lips. When he reached Wendy the first time, he didn’t know that this girl was actually living in Canterlot’s Children Shelter. It seemed that her mother died when she was young, and her father… Well, her father was actually why Red was here in the first place. Red had sympathy for her because he saw a lot of himself in this little girl. He too, his mother died when he was young and he couldn’t count on his father. He didn’t have anyone to take care of him, and he wasn’t going to let this girl going through the same stuff he went through. “And I’m glad I could hang out with an awesome girl like you.” He tried to cheer her up, smiling at her. He watched his phone and sighed when he saw what time it was. “I should get you back there kid. It’s getting late.” And he wasn’t going to take risks. The reason why the people working at the shelter agreed to let him take her was because he asked one of his acquaintance to make him a fake I.D stating that he was her brother. “I don’t want to go back…” She said, lowering her gaze, “The other kids… They’re all mean to me.” Red pated her head and sighed, “Don’t worry kid.” He said, “I won’t let you stay there much longer.” The next day… It was now easier for Sunset to walk among the crowded halls of Canterlot High School. Since all the stuff that happened, the students were more sympathetic and nicer every time Sunset was around. She just replied to Derpy’s greetings and entered her classroom. She was surprised when she saw that Red, who normally used to sit next to her in this class, was missing. ‘Meh, maybe he’s just late.’ Sunset thought, opening her bag and put her pencil case on the table. “Hi Sunset.” Someone said in front of her, Sunset raised her head and winced when she saw who it was. “Hello, Bonbon.” Sunset said, avoiding her look. Bonbon chuckled, “Please Sunset, don’t be afraid, I just came here to apologize.” Sunset gave her a questionable look, “What? To apologize? For what?” “I’ve heard what Lyra told you and… It was mean and-” “I’m gonna stop you right there Bon’.” Sunset said, “What Lyra said was one hundred percent true, I am… Was a monster. And I’ve accepted it.” “B-But…” Bonbon said, putting her hand on Sunset’s, “Even if you were, she shouldn’t have said those things to you, I thought she was better than that.” “Some people won’t ever forgive me. And I’m fine with it.” Sunset said with a smirk, “But I’ll do everything I can to show ‘em I’ve changed.” Bonbon replied to her smile by one of her own, “For what it’s worth Sunset, I forgive you.” “Good Morning students.” Miss Cheerilee entered the classroom and all the students sat down at their appointed places. Cheerilee looked like she was going to say something very important and Sunset already knew what it was. A new student, again. It was rare to have a new student when the school year as already began, but two of them? “Please come on in.” She said towards the door. Then a girl entered, she had pink purple-ish skin, long and ruffled violet and white hair. She was pretty but something in her eyes… Disrupted Sunset. The girl was wearing a long violet summer dress, weird since they were a few days from Christmas Holidays, the temperatures weren’t very high. But it didn’t seem like she was cold, in fact, she seemed happy, with a wide beam on her face. “You can pre-” Miss Cheerilee started. “HI!” The girl screamed. “I’M SCREWBALL!” She jumped forward and grabbed the hand of the girl sat in the front row. “NICE TO MEET YOU!” “N-Nice to… Meet you?” The girl replied, a little embarrassed. “Well, it seems like you’ve got a lot of energy to burn.” Cheerilee chuckled, “Now, tell us more about you.” “Okep!” She replied, jumping back where she once stood. “Soooo, I like cartoons, candy, video games, films, manga, music, wrestling, food, the sun, the moon, animals like cats, dogs, ponies…” She went on and on giving Sunset a headache. ‘Urgh, I hate noisy people.’ Then a pink party-planner head appeared on her mind, ‘Well, not all of them.’ “… and finally, flip-flops. Love ‘em.” Screwball finally finished still wearing a wide smile. Her eyes went wide as she seemed to remember something, “Oh yeah! The fact is, I wanted to come here since I saw you guys.” She earned a lot of interrogative glares and chuckled at them. “When you came to Discorp guys!” She exclaimed, “My father said I shouldn’t disturb you, so I watched you from… very far away! You all seemed so nice and fun!” “Your father?” Sunset asked. She blushed vehemently when she realized she said that aloud. “Yeah! My daddy!” “You see…” Cheerilee finally said, “Our dear Screwball here is the daughter of Discord from Discorp.” Gasps and whispers were filling the classroom, on the students faces, surprise could be seen. “Screwball, why don’t you sit…” Cheerilee’s glare scrutinized the room. ‘Oh, nononono-’ Sunset thought when Cheerilee’s looks stopped on her. “… right next to Sunset Shimmer there?” She finished pointing next to the fiery haired girl. “Sure!” She happily walked toward Sunset and dropped herself in the chair right next to her where Red used to sat habitually. “Hi there, Sunny bun!” “Sunny bun?” Sunset asked. “Hi! I’m Screwball!” Sunset rolled her eyes, “Yeah I heard the first time.” “Wanna be friends?” Screwball held her hand in front of Sunset. Sunset sighed, ‘Why this situation seems familiar?’ “Yeah, sure.” During lunchbreak, Sunset entered the music club room where Flash and Thunderlane were already waiting. Flash was sat on a chair, tuning his guitar next to the window, a bright sun could be seen through it, but don’t let that fool you since the temperature outside was around one or maybe two degrees. She finally arrived and sighed from relied. Since her first class this morning, Screwball didn’t stop talking. Sunset even asked herself if she didn’t have an on-off switch. At least, she managed to get free of the ball of nerves that Screwball was, since a group of girls asked her if she wanted to eat with them. Since Screwball was Discord’s daughter, she already was pretty popular in the school. Maybe the third more popular girl in the school, due to her being rich, the second being Rarity for her beauty and the first being the President of the student’s council, Fleur dis Lee. “Hey, Sunset.” Flash said, welcoming her with an honest beam. “Hi guys,” Sunset said, putting her bag on the nearest table. “Where are the others?” “Lyra said she couldn’t come,” Thunderlane explained, “Rainbow has soccer practice so she’ll be a bit late. Red isn’t here either, you two are friends, got an idea where he is?” “Yeah, she told me,” Sunset told him, walking toward her guitar laying on the wall next to Thunderlane’s drums. “And Red wasn’t in class, no idea where he is.” “He doesn’t answer my calls, maybe he’s still in bed,” Flash said, grabbing his own guitar, “He must be sick or something.” “Must be ‘or something’ if you ask me.” Thunderlane said, taking place on his drum’s chair. Flash walked toward Sunset and asked her, “So, have you worked on your song?” “Yeah, gimme a sec,” She reached her bag and drew her notebook from it. “Here you go,” Sunset said, giving to Flash the lyrics of the song she finished last night. “Give me your thoughts.” Flash grabbed it and started reading it, humming the air of the song. “So?” Thunderlane asked from behind. A smile appeared on Flash’s face while he was reading the song and he raised his head to look at Sunset, “It’s very good Sunset.” He stated calmly. “Thanks.” She thanked him honestly, blushing. “We’re going to rehearse or what?” Thunderlane asked. “Yeah, let me just-” Sunset started, but she got cut off by her phone buzzing in her pocket. ‘What? Didn’t I let it in my bag? Oh… yeah.’ She realized it was her other phone. She drew it from her pocket and unlocked it, opening the message she just received. It was just written ‘Need you ASAP.’ With an address attached to it. “Hum… I’m so sorry guys but… I got to go.” Sunset said, putting it back in her pocket. “What? But the ball is Friday Sunset,” Flash explained, “We have to be ready.” “We will I promise.” Sunset said, a peined smile on her face. “Just something I have to take care off.” Flash sighed, but nodded. “All right Sunset, I hope everything’s okay.” “Yeah, it’s just… something important…” She shakes her head and turned herself putting her guitar back on where she was laying in the first place, “Nevermind, I swear I’ll be there tomorrow.” She took her bag and was going to leave the room but Flash called her, she turned herself to face him. “Sunset…” Flash started, “I am sure this is important but…” he drew his arm, showing her the room. “But this is important too, at least for us.” He finished, pointing him and Thunderlane. Sunset walked toward him and put her hand on his shoulder, “And it is important to me too. I’ll be here tomorrow,” She stated, “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” She said, making all the gestures that goes with it. “What kind of promise is that?” Flash asked, a half-smile on his face. “The kind that can’t be broken.” She finished with a smile, leaving the room. Thunderlane waited ten seconds after she leaved before he glared at Flash. “I don’t know what you’re playing at brother, but I don’t think that’s a great idea.” He stated. Flash frowned, “What are you talking about?” Thunderlane pointed the entrance door with his finger, “I’m talking about her dude.” Flash sighed and turned his gaze away, “Let’s not talk about this, okay?” Thunderlane nodded silently. Not too far away, Sunset was hiding behind a dumpster behind the school, putting on her suit. ‘Sorry guys, but this is far more important… Hope I won’t get in too much trouble with Luna for ditching classes.’ She thought. “You take your time.” The Fiend stated, his arms crossed on his chest, standing on the edge of the building. Sunset walked towards him and let out a growl, “Dude, I’m so sorry. It’s not like I have class or anything important you know.” He turned himself to face her and nodded, “Yeah sorry, glad you could make it.” He said. It was actually the first time she saw him during daytime, and she thought he was less threatening in the light. She stood next to him and she lowered her glare to look at the empty street. “So, what’s the big deal?” He pointed a house across the street, where all the blinds were closed. “This is where ‘Glimmering Star’ lives.” “Glimmering Star?” Sunset asked, “Do you mean…” “Yeah, that’s a fake name, after some digging, I’ve found that Glimmering Star and Starlight Glimmer were the same person...” He finished, slowly. Sunset watched him and asked, “I’ve got to ask you… Do you know that girl? I mean, you only agreed to help me when I’ve said her name.” He sighed and turned around, walking away from the edge of the building. “It’s not important.” He stated. Sunset frowned and crossed her arms, not moving an inch. “If you’re not telling me, I won’t go.” The Fiend glared at her, raising an eyebrow. “Listen, I want to help you, I really do, but I want to know what’s going on.” She said, on a much peaceful tone. “You always keep me in the dark, telling me half-truth or half-answers.” She walked towards him and stood in front of him. “Please, who is Starlight Glimmer?” The Fiend closed his eyes, lowering his head before sighing in defeat. “It was two years ago, not long after I arrived in this world…” “Oh yeah, you’re from another world too…” Sunset remembered. ‘I was so much excited hearing about magic that I totally forget that part.’ She thought. “Yeah…” He said, laying his back on the railing next to the emergency stairs. “So, not long after that, a woman named Starlight Glimmer came to see me. She said she found me with one of the devices she built, it could detect magic for miles and miles away.” He explained. “She helped me a lot actually, she was the first friend I made here…” He sighed, “She helped me with a lot of things, she first helped me to fit in this world I didn’t know. She gave me a roof, helped me handle my powers, since they’re not quite the same as it was home.” He said, lost in his thought, “There’s also all the stuff that happened with Jack, the first meta I’ve fought here. Anyway, thanks to Starlight though, I easily found his weak spot and he couldn’t stand a chance against me. Starlight is the one that called me ‘The Fiend’ for the first time after that… Totally different from what they used to call me back then…” He finished, Sunset couldn’t see him smile but she heard it in his voice. She also heard a bit of nostalgia. “Back then… In your world?” She asked, when she saw him nod, she added, “How is your world?” Sunset asked curiously. “Not much different from this one actually…” He said, “Of course, magic was more common in my world. But we have the same technology as here. We also have our package of super-hero.” “Were you a super-hero?” He chuckled, “Nah, not exactly… I wasn’t much of a good guy back then… But I’ve changed I guess.” He said, taking a sit. “In my world,” Sunset said, taking a sit next to him. “There’s counterpart of people from this world. Does your world too?” “Yeah actually.” He said, “I’ve met a few people here that I knew home…” Then, Sunset noticed he gave her an odd look, but he quickly turned his gaze away, “But they’re not the… same people I used to know if you get what I mean.” Sunset nodded, “I totally get it… Do you miss home?” The Fiend thought for a moment before saying, “No I don’t, there’s nothing left for me there. I understood that when I’ve fought that guy with Starlight…” “What happened? With Starlight.” Sunset finally asked. “One day she left, she was working for some governmental agency… I don’t know much, but I didn’t saw her since that day…” He said, “I never thought I would see her or hear her name again honestly.” Sunset jumped and her feet and stretched her arms, “Let’s pay her a visit then!” The Fiend slowly gets up and chuckled, “Don’t be so sure about that. I’m willing to bet that she left a long time before we get here.” He jumped from the three floors building, landing in the empty alley behind the building, Sunset following him closely. “But maybe we could find something useful.” He finished. “Do you know what kind of connection she has with Conhorse?” Sunset asked, following him to the house. “Nope. I was surprised when you told me that she knew him.” He said. “Small world.” Sunset chuckled at that statement. “You have no idea.” The both walked quietly towards the house, trying to avoid any curious look. “I’ve noted you were really busy these past days,” Sunset said. “Care to tell me why?” “No.” He replied. His relation with Wendy was a secret, nobody except the two of them knew about it. And The Fiend wanted it to stay that way, at least for now. They arrived at behind the house but just when Sunset was going to enter through the fence gate, the Fiend grabbed her by her shoulder. “What?” she asked. “Look.” He said, pointing to the back door of the house. It was completely destroyed and scratch mark were on the wall. “Wha-” Sunset started. “I don’t know, but it can’t be good, we should get in before it starts getting dark out here.” He said and Sunset nodded. The sun was setting early those days. “Stay on your guard.” He said, beckoning her to follow him. They both entered the house, and despites the musty smell, Sunset could smell something… odd. The two heroes arrived in the living room and Sunset lets out a ‘Uh-oh’. The living room was a mess, scratch mark on every wall and furniture. Almost everything was destroyed here. “What happened here?” Sunset asked, mostly to herself. The Fiend kneeled and grabbed something on the ground that looked like a framed photo ripped in half. When he put the two pieces together, Sunset could saw a young doctor Conhorse with a woman she didn’t know. “Is it…” Sunset was going to ask. “Yeah, it’s Starlight.” He said, “She’s way younger than when I met her though.” In the wreckages, Sunset found a torn up file, a lot of papers were falling from it, but what fueled Sunset’s curiosity was the logo on it. It was a skull with six tentacles beneath it. “What’s that?” She asked, showing it to her fighting crime partner. He took it to take a closer look at it but finally finished by shrugging his shoulders, “Don’t know...” Then realization hits him and he frowned, “Wait, I’ve already saw it somewhere…” “Where?” Sunset asked as she gathered the papers scattered on the ground, now intrigued. “I’m not sure…” He said, getting up, his glare still on the strange logo. “I take that, I’ll do some digging and let you know if I found something.” Sunset was going to reply to him but she got stopped by the ringing coming from her pocket. “Oops, sorry.” She excused herself, she turned around as the Fiend resumed his research, taking a look at the papers that felled from the file, and she took out the phone from her pocket. She smiled when she saw who it was. “Hi Twi’.” “Hello Sunset.” Twilight greeted, however, Sunset noticed that Twilight’s voice wasn’t as cheerful as always. “Woaw, something’s wrong?” Sunset asked, now worried. “N-No! Everything’s fine, it’s just that… Humm…” “Twilight,” Sunset sighed, “You know you can tell me everything.” “Y-Yeah, you’re right, but not on the phone.” Twilight stated, “Can we met?” “Now?” Sunset asked raising an eyebrow, she turned to look at the Fiend who was reading the papers. “I’m kinda in the middle of something important right now…” “Oh, yes sorry, I didn’t imagine that… Well can you come by after you finished? It’s quite important.” “Of course Twi’. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” “Thanks, bye Sunset.” “Bye Twilight.” And just like that, Sunset ended the call. She sighed and turned around to see what her partner was doing. “So?” Then he turned to face her, and for the first time, she saw in his eyes, he was shocked. He just handed her the papers as he said, “Y-You might want to read that…” Sunset raised an eyebrow and took it, asking herself what might possibly put him in that state. She read it and, although it was full of complicated words, she understood the essential. She saw a complex formula not very different from the one she saw on the papers Twilight stole for her, the formula which was the origin of the genetically modified spiders that gave her powers. Those papers were far more complete that the ones from Discorp, but there also was another formula she didn’t quite understood. “What’s that?” She asked. “There’s something I have to tell you…” The Fiend said, crossing his arms, his eyes closed, laying against the wall. “I told you that Starlight helped me to handle my powers here, and for that she took a sample of my… blood.” Sunset nodded slowly, not knowing where he was going at. “That,” He said with a sign of his head, “Is this worlds formula for… magic.” “What?!” She almost yelled. Now that she put the pieces together, she notices that the first formula added to the other one made the one at the origins for her powers. “Does it means that…” “Yeah, that’s what I think too.” He said calmly, “You survived this ‘bite’ because you had magic in your blood.” Sunset couldn’t believe it, “Is… Is Discorp aware of that? “I don’t think so, otherwise they wouldn’t have done all those tests.” He stated, “But the fact is, Discorp isn’t the ones who created the formula.” Sunset realized what he meant by that, “Its…” “Starlight.” He finished. “She’s the one who made it…” He gritted his teeth, anger in his voice, “She did it with my blood.” “I…” Sunset stumbled, taking support on the wall, “I can’t believe this.” “Now, imagine for a sec,” He said, pacing in the room, “That someone managed to, somehow, make it viable for magicless humans.” “Impossible,” Sunset shake her head from left to right, “They wouldn’t survive, and even if, and it’s a big if, they do survive, their body would undergo some mutations making them monsters, or worse than that.” “That’s exactly what I wanted to say.” He said, “Do you think the same thing as me?” Sunset nodded. “The Lizard…” “Exactly, he must have modified the formula and found a way to make it… work.” Then, Sunset remembered when Twilight told her that she managed to modified a very complex formula, for Conhorse’s work. “No he didn’t…” “What do you mean?” The masked hero asked. “She did…” Sunset’s eyes opened wide in horror and realization hit her when she remembered the pictures, Starlight Glimmer standing next to... “Conhorse… He’s the Lizard.” Knock, knock. “Twilight! I think it’s for you!” “Coming!” Twilight gets out of her room and ran toward the entrance door and opened it quickly. “Hey Tw- Woah!” Sunset was surprised by Twilight grabbing her arm and dragged her inside, closing the door. “Hum, what’s up with you?” “Come with me.” She said leading her to her room. Sunset shrugged and followed her, walking next to the kitchen’s door she perceived Cadance doing the dishes, “Hi Cadance.” “Hi Sunset,” Cadence replied, “What’s the emergency?” She asked when she saw Twilight still gripped to Sunset’s arms. “Only if I know.” She replied following Twilight. Cadance watched them disappeared in the girl’s room and chuckled, “Ah, teenagers.” Twilight pushed Sunset on her bed, forcing her to sit down. Sunset could clearly see something was off. “Okay Twilight, what’s the matter you’re acting weird… Well I mean, weirder than usual.” “Okay,” Twilight said putting both her hands on Sunset’s shoulders, “I have something to tell you, but I need you to promise me that you won’t freak out okay?” “Meh, can’t be worse than what I have to tell you.” “What?” “Another matter, first tell me what’s going on.” Sunset stated. Twilight gulped, “Okay, watch this.” She headed toward her workbench, were a white sheet was covering something, when she removed it, Sunset saw a black form laying in the middle of an aquarium. Twilight looked at Sunset expectantly. “Humm, and I’m supposed to know what this is?” “N-No,” Twilight quickly added, “Look.” Twilight knocked on the glass and Sunset jumped to her feet when she saw the black thing move. “Holy shit!” She yelled, “Is that thing-” “Alive?” Twilight said, “Yes.” Sunset slowly walked towards it to take a closer look. “What is that thing?” “I don’t know, but a thing is sure, its sapient. It can understand what I say and what I do.” “Where did you even find that? Twilight avoided Sunset’s glare, “Well… A few weeks ago, I went to see that meteor shower on the edges of the city. But one of the meteorites fell not far away from where I was… You know me, I’m curious! So I went to take a look and…” “Let me guess, you found that.” She said, pointing to the black thing. “Yes.” Twilight admitted. “I call him Spike.” Sunset gave her a look, “Really?” Then she sighed, “Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you hide it from me?” “Well, you were very busy with your… part-time job. I didn’t want to bother you, and I know that if I’d tell you, you would’ve said…” “To get rid of it.” Sunset nodded, “And I’m telling you now Twilight. Get rid of it. For fuck’s sake Twi’, you bring this alien thing here, where Cadence and your brother lives!” “I-I know…” Pitching the edges of her nose, Sunset asked her, “Anyway, why did you show it to me now?” Twilight stirred up, embarrassed. “Last night I… I touch it.” “Fuck Twi-” “Let me finish, please.” When Sunset didn’t say anything, Twilight continued, “I touch it and it… Merged with me.” “What?” This time, Sunset yelled. “Wait!” Twilight said, “It didn’t wanted me! I heard a voice in my head saying that… I wasn’t enough… And it jumped right back in the aquarium.” “So this thing can… Talk?” Sunset raised an eyebrow before sighing, “Twi’ that’s fucked up.” “But I’ve also noticed something…” Twilight said. “It’s dying… I know it is… And I think it wants a host to survive. A strong one.” “Like a parasite?” “More like a symbiote.” Twilight added. “Can you go directly to the part that involved me?” Sunset said. “Well… I was thinking… You know… You’re strong Sunset…” Sunset had a forced laugh, “Oh, hell no.” “But please Sunset! It’s dying!” “Like I care!” Sunset yelled. “I don’t want this alien thing on me! Geez’ are you hearing yourself?” Twilight sighed and sat on her bed, “I knew you wouldn’t, but I was desperate… I bonded with him.” “Him?” “The voice I heard was male.” Twilight explained. Sunset sat next to her and put her hand on Twilight’s shoulders. “Twilight… There’s something I have to tell you…” “Hm?” Twilight rose her head up, facing her friend. “Hum, you know the formula you managed to make for Conhorse?” “Yes?” “Well… To make things short… I think Conhorse is the Lizard… And maybe that’s your fault.” Sunset admitted, scratching the back of her head. “WHAT THE FUCK?” “Oh, so you can swear.”