//------------------------------// // Chapter Four // Story: A Broken Enemy // by TheColorGreen //------------------------------// Steady hoofbeats against a wooden floor awakened Sunset Shimmer from a shallow, restless sleep. Sunset blinked several times, then forced herself to her hooves. She bowed her head, keeping her face toward the ground. That would hide the sleepiness in her eyes, and the exhausted drooping of her eyelids. Hopefully. The door opened, and Twilight Sparkle came in, carrying a clipboard and a quill pen in her magenta-tinged telekinesis. Sunset felt herself stiffening. What is she going to do—experiment on me? That was a form of torture Sunset hadn’t even considered. “Good morning,” Twilight said amicably. “Or evening, I guess. How do you feel?” “Fine, M—” Sunset was cut off by the rumbling of her stomach. The very loud, very noticeable rumbling of her stomach. Oh. No. Twilight Sparkle paused. Sunset bit her lip, mentally counting by squares in a desperate attempt to suppress her fear. One, four, nine, sixteen, twenty-five, thirty-six, forty-nine, sixty-four, eighty-one, one hundred—please don’t hurt me— “Are you hungry?” Twilight Sparkle sounded truly baffled. Sunset had to bite back a sarcastic reply. No, really. “Yes… Mistress.” Sunset closed her eyes. “Do you want some food?” Sunset opened her eyes again. “Yes… if that’s alright with you. Mistress.” “Good grief.” Sunset could practically hear Twilight Sparkle rolling her eyes. “You’re worse than Fluttershy. C’mon, there’s food upstairs.” * Twilight stood in the doorway of her kitchen, silently watching Sunset Shimmer eat. The sight of it was starting to bother her, but Twilight was hesitant to move. She knew that if she did take so much as a step, Sunset would hear it and be on guard again. But—sweet Celestia. How long has it been since she last ate? Twilight shifted on her hooves, and the floorboards underneath her creaked. Sunset immediately looked up, curling herself halfway into a defensive position. Twilight swallowed, hard. Well, she’s seen me. I guess I can go in now. Haltingly, Twilight stepped into the kitchen and made her way to a chair that sat opposite Sunset Shimmer at the table. Sunset was staring at the table now, still stiffly maintaining a wary position. The bruise Rainbow Dash had given her was dark purple now. It stood out against her golden coat. “I’m sorry,” Twilight blurted. Sunset Shimmer looked up, surprise playing warily across her face. Then she looked hurriedly down at the table. “About what Rainbow did,” Twilight continued. “She was just—angry, and—it isn’t going to happen again.” Sunset was completely still now, barely even blinking. She had stopped eating. At first Twilight thought that the unicorn was still processing what had been said; then she realized that it was something else. “Do you want to—talk? Or ask—something?” Celestia, this is awkward. Slowly Sunset Shimmer raised her head, though she did not meet Twilight’s eyes. “Does—” She paused, flinching slightly. Twilight didn’t dare move. After a moment of quiet, Sunset went on. “Does that mean you—won’t—hurt me?” The last two words were something like a squeak—pitiful, but also almost endearing. But that impression was lost in the swirl of emotion Twilight felt at her once-enemy’s words. She thought that—about me? She thought I would hurt her? It had been there in the back of her mind, of course—especially after the reading she had done and her fight with Rainbow Dash. But not once had Twilight even considered taking advantage of Sunset Shimmer’s submissiveness—and frankly, even the thought of it disgusted her. “Of course not,” she answered. “Of course not. I would never hurt you.” Sunset Shimmer relaxed—just barely, but she relaxed—and then after a moment went back to eating. Again Twilight saw the dark bruise on her face. Silently, Twilight stood up and went to get an ice packet for the bruise. * Not going to hurt me? It was almost unthinkable, in Sunset Shimmer’s mind. No, it was unthinkable—that Twilight Sparkle should take such a chance for revenge as this and throw it away. She’s toying with me. She’s trying to lower my guard, so that it hurts all the more when she does strike. And yet… there was a part of Sunset’s mind that wanted, so very badly, to believe she was safe. You aren’t safe. You never will be safe. Celestia wouldn’t allow it. Sunset had to suppress a snort of mirthless laughter. That thought was certainly true. Twilight Sparkle walked back into the room, and Sunset started. She had been so focused on the food, she hadn’t even realized that the alicorn was gone. Twilight sat down again and then pushed something across the table toward Sunset, who eyed it suspiciously. Then she realized that it was a packet of ice wrapped in cloth, and she picked it up gratefully. She tried to bring the ice up to her bruise, but fumbled and dropped it midway. A soft growl of frustration escaped before she could stop it. Sunset instantly stopped and tensed up. There was no answering gesture from Twilight Sparkle. Sunset relaxed again. She’s playing nice. Again she picked up the ice pack, this time being more careful to balance it on her hoof. Sunset was far too used to having fingers—an unavailable benefit, now that she was back in Equestria—and the breaking of her horn had permanently stolen the assistance of telekinesis from her as well. Damn you, Celestia. Carefully, Sunset pressed the ice to her face, wincing as she did so. It hurt, but the ice was at the same time soothing. “Thank you,” she murmured. Twilight Sparkle gave a small, new-imperceptible smile. “You’re very welcome.” The alicorn stood. “I—er—have a few errands that need to be run in town,” she said. “Could you—?” “Of course,” Sunset said, standing as she did so. “I can—” Twilight shook her head. “Not right now,” she said. “Later—tomorrow, maybe?” Sunset just nodded, and then sat back down. Twilight Sparkle watched her for a moment, and then left the room, leaving her slave unattended. Why is she being so nice? Why is she being so trusting? Sunset had to wonder.