//------------------------------// // Chapter 13-Shade of Black Part 4: Darkness to Light // Story: Solar: Hero of Canterlot City // by Royal Pony Dude //------------------------------// Late at night in Canterlot City, a group of thugs has stolen some rare jewels from a jewel warehouse they make their way to the top prepping to board a getaway chopper but out of nowhere a magic blast stops them from boarding. "What the heck…" "Hello, boys," The crooks look to see Solar up top in her original suit with a smile on her face. One of the guys pulled out a gun and took shots at her but Solar dodged them all and then used her magic to bring down a cluster of crates to crash on him. One thug tried to get her from behind but Solar kicked him in the chest then threw a thug into another one. Her head flashed as two armed thugs were about to fire but Solar yanked the guns out of their hands then magic blasted both of them. One of them tried to head for the chopper but Solar fired a sticky ball at him stopping him in his tracks. Much later, the cops arrive to see the thugs tied up, all of them being unmasked, and a sack of jewels they tried to steal. With Solar, she was watching afar, proud of herself. "The old red and yellow. Not too shabby." At Canterlot Tower, Gravestone was reading an article about Solar's latest bust then out of nowhere four masks were dropped on his desk. "I take it our deal is off?" Gravestone asked Solar as he knew was here. "Yeah, the deal's off," Solar was face to face with him. "There's not enough money in the world to make me turn the other way." "Keep the light on, I'm coming for you," Solar jumped out of the window and flew into the night sky. Once she left, Gravestone was thinking until… "It appears you have a job opening," Brisk said as he came through the window. "We'll take it." "I really should start locking those windows," Gravestone said. "So do we have a deal?" "If you want a job, you'll have to prove yourself, pass one simple test. Destroy Solar," Gravestone said as he played some darts. "We were hoping you would say that," Brisk grinned. "You wouldn't mind if we had some fun with her, first." "I don't micromanage." The next morning at the Canterlot Hospital… "She looks a lot better, considering the fact she had a heart attack," Sunset said, seeing Twilight sleeping. "This is the second time that my friends were put in danger because of me. I know that being Solar is a big job but it shouldn't cross the people who rely on me." At Canterlot High… "Aria, you gave me a pretty hard time the other day," Sunset said to her as she was in her locker. "Just the other day? I must be slipping." "Thanks for the reality check." "No problem, but don't mention it to anybody," Aria glared at her before walking away. "I mean it." "Hey, Sunset, how's Twilight doing?" Fluttershy asked as the rest caught up to her. "A lot better," Sunset replied. "And guys, I'm so sorry for the way I acted." "It's cool," Comet Thunder replied. "Yeah, you just need an angst break. And we could use some help with holding the Wondercolt Balloon at the Thanksgiving Day Parade tomorrow," Pinkie said. "Love to, but I can't. Twilight's parents called me saying that they were busy and they couldn't get her. Once she is released, I'll take her home." Then the bell rings signaling for class. "See you guys later," Rainbow said as everyone headed to class. "Hey, Shimmer," Sunset was stopped by Adagio. "I know you have a lot on your mind, but I went on a date with Brisk. And… spare the details, he only did that so he can hurt you, and use me to do it." "I don't blame you, I mean I cost him his job working for the Colts with the alien being lost and things have been pretty rough between us for the last couple of days…" "Well be careful, I think he has an ax to grind for you." … ... "You got Brisk, message me," The phone box said showing Sunset's number "Hey, Brisk. It's me. Look about your job, I'm sorry…" "Hey, I was just changing. I appreciate the call. So how about we hook up after class?" "Rain check. I need to get Twilight out of the hospital." "Sure. We'll see each other soon enough," Brisk hung up. "Solar." … "Great, I'm late as usual," Sunset said as she was packing her stuff. "A quick flight there should get me on time." She went to grab her boot and then noticed the gene cleanser vial she kept in secret. "I forgot about you. This little guy helped Midnight with his lizard problem. And bet it could help me with a magic problem sure Solar saves a lot of lives. But is that why I do it? Or do I do it for the thrill, the action?" Without knowing, Sunset got hit with a magic blast and was outside she placed the cleanser in her pocket and placed her mask on. "Oh, you don't need to wear a mask with us, Sunset. We know all your secrets." Brisk surprised her with a punch to the gut. "Because, of course, we were you." "The Symbiote! I thought I…" "Did you think that an icebox would do us in?" "You ensnared another human being?!" Solar punched him which scored a hit but Brisk held her in the air. "Someone better suited to our gifts." Brisk repeatedly punched her in the face and then slammed her onto the ground. "And to our mission, destroying you for rejecting us! From now on, we're setting sun to Sunset Shimmer and Solar Eclipse. We're Dark Eclipse!" Solar magic blasted Dark Eclipse and then kicked him in the face but Dark Eclipse did a magic blast at the chest then savagely beaten to a pulp where she groaned on the ground Dark Eclipse had her foot on top of her. "Destroying you now would be too easy. You haven't suffered enough. And we want to break you piece by piece. After all, we know who you are, and everyone you care about!" Dark Eclipse took off to the sky as Solar struggled to get up. … … "Gotta beat Eclipse before he gets to Twilight," Solar said as she was flying to the hospital. At the hospital… "It was nice of the girls to send some flowers but why have the card signed 'Guess who? Pinkie must have done it," Twilight thought when she got some flowers and a card. Outside of her window, Dark Eclipse prepared to make an entrance but Solar kicked him. "Stay away from her!" Solar shouted as she punched him in the face then magic blasted him. Then Dark Eclipse grabbed and slammed her on the wall and tried to escape but Solar a kick in the chest. "Fine. She's not the only target." Dark Eclipse grabbed her and then slammed her into a separate wall. "After all, we know who we love the most, Sunny." "Brisk?" "You guessed!" Dark Eclipse kicked her at her blindside and then left. "Okay, think Sunset. I gotta find him before he gets to any of my friends." Meanwhile, at the parade, Adagio parade we saw the parade until it came by… "Well, if it isn't the big turkey himself," Adagio said, seeing Duke as Solar secretly flew over them. "I can't believe the Symbiote got to Brisk. He was right there when he saw me freezing it. And Adagio warned me about him trying to hurt me and she or anyone else is in serious trouble," Solar said before seeing Adagio with Duke. "Found her. And she's with Duke. Gross. Well at least, Duke isn't evil. Okay, well at least he is not possessed by an evil Symbiote who wants to destroy me. But still, I have to be ready for anything since my head flashes couldn't warn me when Dark Eclipse ambushed me." Meanwhile, Duke tried to lay his arm around her but Adagio ducked it. "You got guts, but I ain't stupid. And speaking of stupid, Brisk Storm is with Rarity," Adagio glared seeing him talking to Rarity. … … "Why do I have a bad feeling about this," Solar gulped and not a moment too soon she saw her being tied up and hanging from a float. "And I was right." Then out of nowhere, Dark Eclipse ambushed her. "What's the matter, Sunny, did we strike a nerve?" Dark Eclipse chucks a broken fan at her but Solar blasts it to bits. "Brisk, please fight it! Don't let it control you!" "No one's being controlled here! We simply share the same desire. Your destruction." Dark Eclipse fires two fire orbs at her but Solar dodges it. "This is between me and you. Leave her out of it." "Trying to be a hero," Dark Eclipse put through a wall. "But truly you're the villain here." Dark Eclipse savagely punches her. "Brisk, don't do this!" "After everything we've been through you always had your friends by your side. We had no one! We've always been alone! Until now…" "Then we're done talking!" Solar magic blasted him to the city street then went after Rarity with Dark Eclipse trailing. Meanwhile… "Ha! Mellow Stone's mascot is pretty cool, but with an animatronic chick with it, it makes him look like King Kong, y'know the monkey," Duke said. "King Kong was an ape, not a monkey. And secondly, I think that Rarity is there," Adagio realized. "Oh snap!" Meanwhile Dark Eclipse and Solar fought fist for fist as Dark Eclipse tore a part of her suit off. "Bet you're missing the black suit." "Oh would you, just shut up!" Solar ice blasted his mouth but then got shattered. "She can quip it out, but she can't take it!" … … Duke and Adagio head to the Wondercolt Balloon where Rainbow and the others hold it down. "Guys, it's action time! Let's move it!" Duke said. "Duke, we can't leave the balloon," Jade said to him. "Forget the balloon, Rarity's in trouble!" Adagio said to her. "QB called a fast play! Break!" Comet said as he and the rest followed the two. Dark Eclipse grabs Solar by the leg and tosses her down on the balloon where Rarity was. "Come on, Dark Eclipse. If that is the best you got, I stick red, torn, and yellow," Solar taunted. "Oh, we can shred more than a suit!" Dark Eclipse lunged at her but jumped over which tore a hole in the balloon releasing the air. "Now shouldn't y'all see that coming?" "A slow descent. Clever, but not clever enough to save her." Solar knocked Dark Eclipse off and then grabbed Rarity as she was falling but Dark Eclipse grabbed Solar making Rarity fall again but only this she landed on a busted float where Duke held it down. "Rarity, you okay," Applejack removed the gag off of her. "Yeah, I'm okay. I think." "Appreciate the help!" Solar said to them as she and Dark Eclipse land "Anytime, now get that creep!" Rainbow shouted. "Consider it done, Dash!" Dark Eclipse tries to smash her, but Solar avoids it, and t then uses her magic to make him crash into the steel barrier. Dark Eclipse punched Solar through the chest just as she grabbed a part of the balloon and then got flung upwards. "We've toyed with you long enough!" "Okay, you win," Solar admitted. "Of course we'd win." "Not you. It. The Symbiote proves its point. I'm nothing without it. Take me back," Solar pleaded as she was on her knees. "That's what it wants, right? A reunion with its first love?" "Heh, the Symbiote found a better partner in me." "Me? Not us?" Solar asked then suddenly The Symbiote detached itself from Brisk. "No, what are you doing!? Don't leave me…" Brisk said before he collapsed. The Symbiote slithers its way back to Solar and she has a black suit on again. In Sunset's mind… You tricked us! The emotions all taste wrong! You never wanted back at all! "Wow, you do know me well," Sunset smirked a bit. Fool! You let us back in and we will have you! The Symbiote tried to merge with, but Sunset created a magic shield to stop him. "Still slow on the uptake, huh? You're the disease and my friends are the cure." In reality… The Symbiote left Sunset and slithered to Brisk. "Oh, no you don't," Solar trapped it in a magic bubble. "Not so tough without a human host, huh? Let's make sure you never find another." Much later Solar was at an empty construction field. "No one's here, perfect. Time for you to get buried under rock," Solar placed the bubble inside a vat of wet cement that was very deep. Much later at Rainbow's house… "I may have let people down a lot but I'm always there to save them," Sunset said before pulling the gene cleanser. "Solar's not a disease that needs a cure. Solar is a part of me just me being a part of her. My destiny." She poured it down the drain as her path was clear.