//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 // Story: Hostile History // by Jest //------------------------------// That day of school brought no further disasters, despite all the awful things that had happened recently. In the end, Sunset Shimmer made it back to her lonely studio apartment late into the evening. The girl half expected it to be swarming with federal agents or have an arrest warrant pinned to the door. There weren’t, though she could’ve sworn that she had locked the door when she left for school. Sunset took one glance through the apartment, from its dumpy furniture to the peeling wallpaper, and she could see that nothing was different.  She only had two possessions of value—the streaming setup she sometimes used to broadcast to Twitch, and her pet gecko, Ray. She walked right over to his enclosure, dumping her backpack as she crossed the room.  “Hey Ray,” she muttered, flipping open the mesh lid and holding her hand in front of the little lizard. The creature grinned up at her, then hopped from the stick onto her arm. “You’re not going to arrest me, are you?” The lizard stuck his tongue out, uncomprehending. “Yeah, thought so.” Sunset slumped into her dumpy sofa, flipping open her journal and more specifically her last message to Twilight. There was no response.  “Of course the Alicorn princess wouldn’t have time for me,” Sunset muttered, depositing the lizard on the cover where he could perch while she wrote. Dear Twilight, The human authorities are growing more suspicious of magic. I really think you should look into this growing mess and maybe take a trip here. I know they don’t have magic of their own, but they could still pose a danger to Equestria. I’m not sure if it’s safe for me to stay here anymore. My friends are all here, but the human authorities seem to know what I am. If it wasn’t for my friends I would probably come back to Equestria now and wait for this to blow over, but they need my help. If you can tell me anything at all about the spirit I described, that would be extremely helpful. I would love to take the trip to the Canterlot Library myself, but… yeah. Regardless, I could really use some advice. -Sunset Ray crawled off the edge of the book onto one of Sunset’s fingers again, pressing his head against her palm affectionately. Could a little lizard really feel her distress? “I’m glad you’re here too,” Sunset Shimmer whispered. “I’ll… need to make some arrangements for you in case something happens to me.”  Her landlady had been more than accepting of Sunset’s difficulties and she had taken her in without papers, or a deposit. Maybe she’d be able to make sure her lizard got taken care of if the authorities came for her. A quick letter passed beneath the older woman’s door ensured that her pet would be alright, and with that done, Sunset Shimmer got started on some homework. The next few days passed in a blur to Sunset. She kept her head down at school, trying very hard to attract as little attention as possible. By the end of the week, only Foxtrot remained on campus, along with a pair of Canterlot deputies who watched everything but didn’t try to arrest anyone. Sheriff Silverstar even waved hello to her as she walked in, same as always. Sunset Shimmer got a few more college acceptance letters, some delivered to her apartment and some directly to the school, but none overlapped with the “main” choices of any of her friends. And so things remained basically normal, with the only difference being a slightly more subdued attitude at school. At least until the weekend that is.  One of the school’s many varsity teams were playing, and of course that meant Rainbow would be competing. Sunset found herself in the audience, cheering and shouting the way she always did. Most of her friends were there too, except for the one Sunset wanted to see most. Twilight however, was on another date with Timber.  Sunset Shimmer almost hoped for another monster attack so she’d have an excuse to break them up. As if on cue, the former pony felt the ground shake first, a rumble which shook through the stands and rattled those in the top seats. Then she heard the screams, which originated from down the road to her right. “What was that?” Sunset asked, turning to stare with several of the others.  The athletes had kept playing, and Sunset dimly heard Rainbow shout triumphantly as she scored another goal. But all that was background noise to what Sunset Shimmer had heard a moment ago. Pinkie Pie was in the seat next to her. Somehow she’d removed a set of giant foam fingers, and was already scrolling rapidly on her phone. What Sunset could do only passably in that regard, while the humans did as though it were the native magic of their species. “Here!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, opening up an app Sunset didn’t even recognize which showed a live feed of local messages, along with images.  They showed the theater, with smoke already rising from the building. A few others were taken from inside, videos of dozens of people running in terror. On a weekend like this the theater would be packed. Sunset Shimmer realized to her growing horror. “Are we going to help?” Sunset asked, loud enough that Rarity and Applejack would be able to hear in the row behind them. “You know what Foxtrot said.” “And I say screw him,” Applejack declared. “I’ve got my pickup.”  The girl stood up, raising her voice. “Rainbow, did you hear that?” “I could wait here,” Fluttershy offered in a nervous tone. “Until the quarter ends. Then we could fly there together.” Flying across town in broad daylight. Rainbow Dash was fast enough that nopony would notice her. Fluttershy… wasn’t, even with Rainbow to help her. Sunset Shimmer realized. “Okay,” Sunset acquiesced before rising as well, and the rest of the audience made way for them to hurry down.  A few even cheered them on, muttering about the local heroes off to save the town. Sunset however, couldn’t muster her usual excitement, not when this trip might end with her getting put in jail. What’s the alternative? Sit idly by while people die? That was a far worse punishment than anything Foxtrot could inflict. Applejack’s old pickup roared to life, and Sunset hopped into the back beside Pinkie. Rarity would be riding shotgun, because of course she would.  “This looks bad. Like, real bad,” Pinkie murmured, still clutching her phone in both hands and watching the stream of posts. “I think it’s a dragon this time instead of just a big pig.” That would explain the flames I saw in some of the videos. Sunset Shimmer thought grimly to herself. “Celestia help us if it’s a real dragon. I… can’t even imagine how we could fight one with these weak bodies and so little magic,” Sunset Shimmer muttered in muted horror. The pickup flew towards its destination, weaving through traffic and making it to their target in only a few minutes. It wasn't difficult to find either, for they only had to follow the screams.  “I bet the old theatre thought they were in for a huge boost of sales after what happened to the mall,” Applejack remarked, as they pulled into a red zone directly in front of the theater. “With the mall cinema shut down, they were the only show in town.” Smoke rose from the building, though it wasn't like any video Sunset had seen of structures on fire. There was something distinctly unnatural about this one and a stench of dark magic radiated from the building like a festering sickness. “It sounds like everyone got a show all right,” Rarity murmured. “And… no police yet, just like always. You think Foxtrot and his goons were just trying to intimidate us when they said they were here to help?” “I’m intimidated,” Pinkie Pie added in a low tone. “Those guys were bor-ing. If I have to do another interview with them I might jump out a window. Maybe I could just invite them to a party instead?” The ground shook again, and this time Sunset was close enough to hear shop windows rattle and shake in their mountings. A few car alarms went off, and the ground under her feet rumbled. Sunset clutched onto the side of the truck, holding herself steady while her friends braced themselves similarly. Sunset Shimmer seemed to be the only one truly affected. Even after all these years in the human world, having two legs was still hard. Then she heard the voice again. It wasn’t loud, not like whatever it was doing to shake the ground, yet every person fleeing the building would’ve been able to hear it. “I’ve been waiting for you, Sunset. Leave the insects to their world and join me,” encouraged the voice. “Whatever that is, they sound like someone who needs an attitude adjustment,” Rarity announced, snapping the door closed. “Ready girls?” Sunset didn’t need to be told twice. If she was going to get into trouble for saving humans from some monster, she wouldn’t let it fill her with regret afterwards. They weren’t all together, which would’ve made “ponying up” effortless, but they locked hands anyway, eyes closing briefly. Sunset felt the magic of her friendship the same way she might’ve mapped its flow with her horn back in Equestria, and the transformation washed over her. As it did for her friends which surrounded her on all sides. It didn't change much for her, since her subtle abilities would work just as well when fully human. But a slight change in body and outfit was good for her morale. Together they could fight, and together they could win. Once they’d all changed, the four of them strode forward through the shattered glass window and into the ruins of Canterlot’s only other movie theater. “I texted Twilight on the way,” Pinkie exclaimed. “Hopefully, she can get here in time. We could really use her crazy-alicorn-superpowers.” Too bad she’s too busy with her boyfriend to be here to save the city with those powers. But Sunset couldn’t let herself get distracted with resentment now when Canterlot was depending on them. Focusing that anger into movement, the girl, along with her friends, charged inside. Where it only took Sunset a single glance to see that things were much worse in this theater than they had been in the mall. There was shattered glass everywhere, and bloody trails where injured humans had dragged themselves away from the dragon. She could see a few immobile lumps against a wall, the fallen theater patrons having clustered together for protection. The ground shook again, and from up above a massive chandelier of crystal rumbled and detached from its mount, plunging straight down, directly on top of them. Rarity squealed, spreading her hands as wide as she could, and catching the damage on a transparent slope that sent the thing tumbling onto the ground before them and shattering in a spectacular shower of broken glass.  A second later and the earth opened in front of them, hardwood being torn apart as if it were paper. A popcorn stall rolled sideways, smashing into the stone inside the crevasse. Sunset caught Applejack’s offered hand a second before she would have fell in herself, likely to never be seen again. Thick black smoke rose from the opening, forming into a vaguely familiar dark shape, that looked remarkably similar to the last monster they fought. The dragon dug huge streaks in the floor as it went, clambering onto all fours and roaring at them. A second later and ghostly black flames passed over Sunset’s head, the ethereal attack feeling just as hot as the real thing. On the wall behind her, Sunset saw several movie posters catch alight, filling the room with smoke. “We beat the last one!” Sunset yelled, glaring up at the monster several times her size. “The best thing for you to do is just fly off now before we beat you too!” “Of course you would say something so cliche,” the creature remarked in a cruel tone. Turning its jaws down at her, Sunset Shimmer could see black flames flickering from deep within its throat. Though not as large as some Equestrian dragons she’d seen back in Equestria, Sunset Shimmer could tell that this one was close enough that it tore up great chunks of earth with each step.  “You’ve become weak. You take territory with words instead of might. You must ask yourself why you do this, why you’ve become this person,” the dragon urged. Just like the last one. Someone is sending these things just to mess with me. Sunset Shimmer thought grimly. “You reckon it’s like the boar?” Applejack asked, ignoring the dragon completely. “Some kinda… enchanted whatever inside it?” The dragon roared, stalking towards them, and walking straight through the concession stand. The huge shelf of candy went spilling down around them, some of which landed in a pool at Pinkie’s feet. “You’re not very smart, Mr. Dragon,” Pinkie exclaimed, grabbing a fistful of every type of candy she could reach. “You probably shouldn’t have given me all this.” It ignored her completely. “You will be set free, Sunset. Your slavery to Equestria’s mindset can be lifted. The damage of the Elements can be healed. A single blast of my magic is all it will take.” “You have a strange way of telling me all this,” Sunset retorted, glancing at the bloody handprints on a nearby wall. “You think I’ll agree to anything you want? After all you’ve done?” “Power does not ask, it takes. You will be free, even if you resist freedom with every step,” exclaimed the dragon. “I reckon we’ve heard enough outta you,” Applejack said, lifting a huge chunk of torn cement right out of the ground and holding it over her head with spectacular strength. “Sunset, may I?” “Please,” Sunset called. “Girls, let’s show this dragon how we do things in Canterlot!”