//------------------------------//
// Prologue 
// Story: The Hunter: The Path of the Moonlight 
// by DJ Scratch21x 
//------------------------------//

Canterlot, Equestria
Date: March 23, 2015
10:35pm

The skies were black, and the spring air felt pleasant to the touch. The sun was officially hidden behind the horizon. Another day has passed for Equestria, only to have another await them. Another day of peace, harmony, and easy living has passed. One in room in one the highest points of Canterlot castle, an Alicorn remained wrapped tight in her sheets and blankets. Tucked in nice and cosy, Princess Celestia, the Princess of the Sun, was at ease, enjoying her deep slumber. As elegant, royal, and as respected as she was, it for sure didn't stop the fat stream of drool that trailed down her chin.It would soon form a small puddle on her silk pillow. Just like normal, two guards stood outside of her room on each side of her door with spears in hoof. Throughout the halls, silent and still, guards roamed, keeping any intruders from getting inside, and keeping the two sisters safe from any possible harm.

Meanwhile, her beloved Sister, Luna, another Alicorn stood on her balcony. She turned her gaze from the breathtaking view down below, to the stars that twinkled above her The moon provided a soothing glow that beamed down upon her. She took in the cool spring air through her muzzle, before exhaling slowly. She yawned deeply and smiled. yawned deeply. Luna was about ready to hit the hay. She mentally wished a good evening to the vast land of Equestria, where everypony slept without worry. Where everypony slept without fear. Tranquility at its finest.

There would be a few ponies walking about the empty streets. Stores were closed for the evening, all in good business. Civillians were returning to their homes to rest in their own snuggly beds, but there were the few who stayed out with their special somepony to watch the light show above, or to enjoy themselves in a soothing environment. It was peaceful indeed, and nothing in the wide world of Equestria would be able to change that.

What Luna was unaware of, was the sound of rapid, but distant hoofsteps. The echo of hooves on polished slate drew nearer and nearer with each passing moment.

When the noise reached their ears, the two guards that stood in guard just outside of Luna's room, turned their heads toward the approaching pony. They could only see distant figure rushing over to them at the end of the hallway. The guards watched the approaching silhouette rushing over to them. From the looks of it, the stranger appeared to a be a rookie, a recruit, as they could see the design of his armor and badge. Recruits weren't allowed on this floor at this hour without direct authorization from their drill instructor or a higher level personnel, so what was his reason? The pony skidded to a halt in front of the two. His chest was heaving in and out from exhaustion. This rookie reached for the handle, but the guards refused to let him through. Still standing on each side of the doorway, the guards made an X with their spears, blocking the guard from entry. He looked at both of the guards with impatience.

Luna turned her head when she heard somepony's muffled voice from outside her room.

"Please! Let me in! This is important!" The voice pleaded. "You don't understand! I didn't do anything! We have a major problems on our hooves! There's a emergency!"

"Hmmm...odd." Luna thought to herself. "He appears to be in deep distress. What is the matter with him?"

Concerned but curious, Luna opened the door herself with her magic. The door slowly creaked opened, and allowed entry for the pony. The guards saw this, and calmly retracted their spears. The pony glared at each of them, before quickly trotting into the room, and closing the door behind him. From the design on his armor, Luna could see that he was a fresh recruit. He spotted her on her balcony, and he rushed over to the glass balcony door. Luna used her magic once more to open the door. The handle lit up with a dark blue glow, and the door swung open. His hooves grinned to a halt right before her, nearly colliding into the stone railing.

The pony got his bearings back before looking up at her. It was then, she noticed how awful he looked. His wide eyes read an expression of pure terror and anxiety. He was trembling slightly. Sweat matted down his mane, and dribbled down from his helmet in thin streams. Small red beads were scattered on his face and armor. Small red beads....beads. Those don't look like beads. That...can't...be.

"Yes? Is there a problem?" She asked, growing slightly concerned herself. "Is there a problem?" She couldn't take her eyes off him. He looked so shooken up.

Before he could reply, Luna pressed a hoof onto his armor. She held it there for a second, before she slowly lifted that same hoof to her face. Her hoof was stained red.

"Your highness," The guard started but stopped for a second. He suddenly dropped to a kneeling position, forgetting to do so before he started to speak. He quickly shot up to his hooves. Luna lowered her hoof to the ground.

"Uh-um...your highness, we uhhh...we have a problem." He stuttered franticly, looking at the door.

Luna felt weary. The guard was beginning to panic. His breathing was becoming erratic, and rapid. Luna awkwardly knelt down to him, and calmed him down. 

"Calm down. Tell me what is wrong." She said, staring into his trembling eyes.

"It's her!" Was all he could gasp with a shaken voice. "It's her! She has returned! It's her! It's her! It's her!!""

Luna grew concerned. "It's who? Explain yourself!" She ordered.

"Sunset Shimmer! She has returned!"

"Sunset Shimmer?" Luna asked confused, raising an eyebrow. "What is wrong with that? Hasn't she rethought her ways?"

The guard shook his head rapidly. "No no no. She has already ki-killed several guards already!"

His eyes panned down to the ground. He was on the verge of tears. "She's too strong! She...she stole The Elements of Harmony, your highness!"

Luna eyes widened in surprise. This doesn't make any sense! This can't be. Didn't Princess Twilight defeated Sunset Shimmer in the Human realm? Hasn't Sunset Shimmer been forgiven, and redeemed herself to become a better being? If this is true, then what has made her go back to her old ways of scum, and villainy?

If what he is saying is true, then Sunset Shimmer really did steal the elements. Live can be at stake.

Luna gasped at the realization. Her head darted in the direction of Everfree Forest. With doubt, she strained to see if anything was out of place in the Forest. The Elements of Harmony were placed into the Tree of Harmony. That tree is the only thing keeping the Plunder Seeds at bay! If the elements are gone, then the forest is already at a critical state! Memories of the vines wrapping themselves, around her and her sister made Luna shutter. Equestria was almost to those plants!

Luna shook the thoughts in her head away. She turned to the rookie.

"Is it Sunset Shimmer?" She asked. "Are you absolutely sure?"

His head bobbed up and down as a response.

"Is my sister unharmed?" Luna asked.

The guard nodded. "As far as I know."

"Is she aware of the heist of the Elements?"

He slowly shook his head in a guilty fashion. "As far as I'm aware, no. I ran up here at the first chance I got! When they attacked, I had to take the long way around. I barley got out of there alive!"

"They?" Luna asked worriedly. "Never mind, take me to Sunset Shimmer." She commanded. "Now!"

The guard nodded, and made a clear passage for Luna. They both made a beeline for the door. The rookie pushed open the door. More accurately, he threw himself at the door. There was a bit of resistance before the door opened the rest of the way. The two guards waiting outside, looked at the recruit angrily, ready to tackle him to the ground, before shifting their gaze to their Princess. Luna commanded that the guards followed their lead, they all rushed down the hall in a hurry. The duo dashed ahead, looking out for any sign of danger, while the rookie ran alongside Princess Luna.

"I should let you know." The guard huffed between breaths. "She isn't alone. She has a group of humans with her. They are under the same trance that Princess Twilight reported seeing in her first experience in that world. They have these...weapons I've never seen before!"

"What do you mean!?" Luna snapped.

The guard was silent for a moment as they ran through the dimly lit halls. They dashed through the corridor on their right. After a moment of thought, he spoke.

"They have these...bows. I mean, they don't look like bows, and they don't shoot arrows. They are black, and completely made of metal! All I see is one flash of light, and guards go down without a sound! You barely hear anything! just a popping sound!"

The guard sniffed. "I-I watched by best friend..."

"I'm sorry." Luna said looking ahead. “But we can't think about that now! If this gets out of hand, we are going to need everypony we can get! I need every soldier to be strong, including you! Can you do that?"

The pony sniffed softly. "Yeah...I can."



Meanwhile, Princess Celestia stood before the mirror. She glared into the rapidly rippling portal, waiting for Sunset Shimmer to rear her villainous head. The Captain of the Royal Guard, Shining Armor has made his way up to her through the crowd of eager guards, and knelt down. He slid off his helmet, and held it in his hoof.

"Your highness, my Sister and her friends have been notified of Sunset Shimmer's return. Is there anything else that needs to be done?"

Princes looked around confused. "Where are the elements?" She asked.

Shining Armor's ears flattened against his skull in guilt. "Princess, please forgive me...,but-"

The door suddenly opened behind them. Luna walked in with a mob of guards behind her. Luna flew over to her sister, and landed beside her.

"Sister!" Luna gasped. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine. Are you ok?"

Same answer. They both stared at the mirror for a moment. Luna was given an opportunity to study the mirror to the human realm. The frame was distorted. Stretched. The mirror itself, was rippling rapidly in the center of the mirror. It was as if a somepony was to toss a small rock into a stream.

"Where is she?" Luna asked directly.

"She has foolishly retreated back into the mirror. We are gonna wait here until she remerges. She will not stand a chance." Princess Celestia growled, glaring at the mirror.

"Sister, I do not understand! How could she still be an enemy! I thought she has changed her ways!" Luna gasped.

"Apparently not. When she first came through, she had a group of those...Humans behind her, with minds possessed by the darkest of magic."

"Oh my." Luna gasped. Another question entered her mind. She was unsure of wether she should ask it. “Did…did she…?” She trailed off.

Celestia didn’t reply.

"Never mind the facts. We must stop her! She must be stopped, and we will. She will fail!" Princess Celestia said determined as she stomped her hoof onto the ground.

"Oh, I'm not so sure about that, my little friend!"  A deranged voice said, coming from within the mirror.

And with that, there was a bright flash, and everypony including the two Princesses fell to the floor, as a sudden, unbearable sensation of weakness and fatigue washed over them. At the same time, everypony fell to the floor, with a clattering of metal soon following, as armor collided with the floor. Even some helmets came loose, before slowly spinning to standstill.

"Why can't I move??!" Princess Celestia screamed in her mind. "She is going to get through!"

She darted her eyes frantically all around her surroundings. Her sister was doing the same as her, looking around in a panic! Everypony fell silent once they were all on the ground; paralyzed. All they could do was watch the mirror, and wait to see what happens next.

Then out of the mirror, the sound of what seemed like two people laughing could be heard from the other side. A laugh that seemed like it was coming from the same pony, but one was at a lower pitch. The malicious laugh. It was getting closer, the voice was becoming more twisted as each second progressed.

A blotch of light erupted in the center of the mirror, as a large boot emerged from the portal. The boot was black with a hint of red running up along its sides. Instantly, the rest of the person stepped through. First the head, then the torso, then the other leg. It was her. Sunset Shimmer herself. 

She was repulsive! A monster! She was tall, and slender. Her long arms ended with razor sharp claws. Her skin was blood red. Her hair swayed, twitched, and held a formation like of a small flame on a candle! Her ears were elongated and deformed. A pair of huge red wings that were once outstretched, now furled themselves behind her back.

Her eyes opened to reveal two black pits with turquoise beads in the center. She chuckled mischievously, and knelt down to Princess Celestia, making eye contact the entire way down. Princess Celestia gazed into the endless back pits in Sunset Shimmer's eyes. Eyes that said nothing but evil. Nothing but a psychotic craving for endless anarchy.

"Ahhh...It's good to see you again, Tia. But wow my…my...my..." She said, but stopped. 

She quickly leaned in, and whispered, "But my god, how you've gotten fat." She chuckled to herself, baring her long gangling fangs. "Oh, and I wouldn't worry about those, Elements of Harmony." She said in a sarcastic terrified tone. "I will take VERY good care with those.

With a snap of her fingers, every fallen guard and the Princesses, were flung to the wall behind them! They all slammed into the wall at once, making cracks in the slate. Guards let out grunts as bones broke on impact. Both princess were hung upside down, and swayed slowly back and forth. Their heads bumped against the wall as they slowly swung back. They were all facing her, as if she wanted them to watch some kind of show. Sunset Shimmer only laughed in glee as she studied their terrified expressions. She then spotted a familiar stallion in the crowd, and her glee came to a silence. She was surprised by his appearance. Then again, she hasn't seen him since he was young.

"Shining Armor? Is that really you?"

Shining Armor's stomach twisted into a knot. His eyes widened, as he tried to move any part of his body.

"Wow! How have you grown!" She said, in a suggestive tone. "Mmmmm. Niiice."

Sunset Shimmer began to walk slowly over to the Captain. Shining Armor tried to buck and kick. Anything to get away from this monster! He tried everything, but nothing worked. He only closed his eyes. He didn't want to watch whatever was about to happen.

The thumping of her boots drew nearer and louder, up until he could feel her warm breath running down the nape of his neck, and into his armor. The breath carried a scent of decay, and blood.  It invaded his nostrils and he gagged. He closed his eyes tighter, fighting the urge to vomit from disgust. Sunset Shimmer then ran her long, slimy, reptile-like tongue along the fur on his neck, wanting to watch the restraint in his face grow. She wanted to watch him squirm. Shining Armor growled in frustration. His face was twisted into a look of rage, and repulsion. Sunset Shimmer then whispered into his ear.

"You know, I might actually keep you alive! You know...to catch up. If you know what I mean." 

Shining Armor's face turned into a faded green, while the two Princesses glared in a boiling rage. They tried several times to incapacitate her completely with their magic, only to fail with the light of their horns to die abruptly. With another snap of her fingers, the elements appeared in her hands, three in each. She dangled them in Celestia's face, like she was teasing a dog with a treat, or a toddler with its toys.

"Looking for these?" She mocked with a evil grim, baring her fangs. "You want these, do you?" 

With another flash of light, the elements vanished! Celestia screamed in her head! All she could do was watch as her hope for peace evaporated in with the light. Suddenly as if it was a signal, armored humans came running out of the mirror! Human, after Human, after Human! All carrying heavy looking metallic weapons. The same that the guard explained to Luna.

Every human was armed to the teeth, wearing bandanas that masked their identities. Except for their eyes. Their glowing, green eyes. Their eyes illuminated a bright green. The spell that was used before in the Human realm!

The soldiers stood next to each other, side by side, eagerly waiting for their orders. Everypony watched in disbelief!

Sunset Shimmer was given a large weapon by one of her soldiers. It was the largest out of them all, requiring you to hold it with two hands to fire properly. A chain of what appeared to be ammunition ran out of it, and into a large container of some kind. The two Princesses gawked at it in both curiosity, and fear.

"She's a beauty, ain't she?" Sunset Shimmer boasted with a smirk on her face. She began to approach Princess Luna.

They studied the weapon as it was up close.

"Ok, this right her, is called a gun!" Sunset Shimmer announced for all to hear. She held up her gun for everypony to see. "My BOOM stick!"

She extended a hand to every human holding a firearm. "These too...are guns!" She announced again. She began to walk back and forth. The weapon bobbed up and down, as she shuffled along.

"What they do, is they shoot both big and small pieces of metal! They have enough speed to penetrate you armor like it is tinfoil, and your skin like wet tissue paper! Every shot is a one way ticket strait to hell! Well…if you know what he IS. So don't try to pull any shit, ya hear?!" 

She held up her gun, so it was pointing up to the celling. "This specific type here, fires big...ASS pieces of metal! Chances of surviving a shot?" She asked aloud.

She pondered on it, and shook her hand, as if she wasn't sure. "Ehhh...give it 2/10 survival." She finished.

"So....where did I exactly get these, you may ask?" Sunset Shimmer asked, as if she repeated a question. Sunset Shimmer took a deep breath.

"Well if you muuuust know, we "borrowed" them! Found ourselves a little piece of paradise called America, and it held the mother load of weapons, and ammunition! Big guns. Small Guns. Explosives, and toxins too!! Took these strait out of the military, more specifically their bases; so you know this is the good shit!" She cried out, proudly kissing the tip of the gun.

"Now...were there casualties? Yes, uhhh...yes there were." She said, quieter; and disappointed. She shyly kicked at the floor.

Sunset Shimmer snickered before returning a stern face. She stopped walking. She tried to hide the smirk plastered on her face with her free hand.

"On their side." She finished. "Yeah, we blew them all to Kingdom Come!"

She threw her head back, and howled in laughter. Her group of humans laughed with her. The laughter grew more maniacal, and echoed throughout the halls.  Celestia was now doubtful of their odds for survival. Her mind was just racing with questions!

Ho-....how? How could she do this?!! How could she even end a life and walk off like it was nothing!? How could she do this?!! To the guards, my sister, her-....her...her VERY OWN MENTOR!"

"This right here is a VERY powerful gun....known as an M60!" Sunset Shimmer continued to announce. "This rapidly shoots large bullets! Used in war, and it has claimed countless lives! Mainly in the Vietnam War. Why do I bother? Y’all’ have no idea what I’m talking about." she said, still uncontrollably chuckling.

Guards looked on in fear at the huge pieces of machinery.

"They say that a single bullet can tear an entire leg off...and I'm willing to test that out! Any volunteers? Hmm? Any takers?" She asked with anticipation. “Any takers before I get to blowing shit up?"

She walked up and down the wall of paralyzed ponies, staring at each and every one of them. She hummed a tune as she studied the ponies, looking for her volunteer. She made her boots thump loudly against the tiled floor. With each step, a menacing thud followed. She slowly slowed to a stop in front of Princess Luna. She looked down at Princess Luna. Luna gasped fright! Sunset Shimmer slowly raised her weapon, and pressed it against her forehead.

"How about you, little filly?"

Princess Celestia's eyes widened in anger! A feeling of pure rage began to corse through her veins! A feeling she hasn't felt in a long time. A feeling to harm sompony else. A state of anger that she feared greatly. A feeling that she needed dearly.

With everything she had, she channeled her rage into her horn. Every bit of anger that she felt in such a short time span, was all being forced into her horn. Her horn brightly lit up, and a large beam of energy shot at Sunset Shimmer! Sunset simply rose a hand in the direction of the beam. She caught the beam, and it melted into her hand, like she absorbed it completely! 

Humans shouted a wave of horrifying profanity in anger, threatening to open fire upon the Princess. They went wild with shouting, stomping, and smashing the butts of their guns into the walls. Sunset Shimmer simply rose a fist into the air, and they all went silent with reluctancy. The room fell deathly silent. Sunset Shimmer slowly knelt down to eye level with the princess.

Nobody spoke. Everybody watched as they both glared into each other’s eyes. Sunset Shimmer chuckled quietly. She continued to laugh, and suddenly struck Princess Celestia in the jaw! Luna's eyes widened in shock. Sunset Shimmer struck her again. The humans howled in laughter. Princess Celestia glowered at her with a small trail of blood leaking out the corner of her mouth, creating a small pool on the floor.

"I'm sorry, do you want to be my guinea pig!!?" Sunset Shimmer shrieked.

She took her gun and jammed it into Princess Celestia's temple. She sprang up, and rammed the end of her boot into her muzzle! A sickening crack of cartilage made everypony cringe. She kicked her again before kneeling back down to her!

"ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A DEATH WISH!!? I CAN KILL YOU RIGHT NOW, BITCH! You know, I'm curious to see if I can take a ponies head off with a shingle shot!! DO YOU WANT THAT!!?"

Princess Celestia weakly spat out a red mist at Sunset Shimmer. With a loud shriek, Sunset Shimmer flipped her gun around, and brought the butt of the gun onto her head! Princess Celestia's eyes shut, and her head slumped to the floor.

The guards could only let out enraged growls.

Nopony said a word. Only Sunset Shimmer huffed and puffed as she calmed herself down. She laughed a little before crack her knuckles.

"Shit." Sunset Shimmer cursed, shaking her head in disappointment.

"Damn...God dammit, now she won't be able to watch." She sighed.

Sunset Shimmer slowly rose to her feet. She took a long yawn and cracked her neck. Suddenly, with her hand on the trigger, she quickly raised the gun at one of her own men! A male Human, with orange skin, and blue hair. Before he could react, she already pulled the trigger!

TAT!

A loud explosion rang in everypony's ears, followed by a long wail of total agony! The human doubled over with his knee gushing blood! Everypony's eyes widened! Luna fought the urge to vomit. The boy clutched his gushing leg. His leg was horribly mutilated! His clothes were already getting soaked in red! Pieces of torn flesh hung, and dangled from his wound! Tears poured down his face freely, as he wailed in agony. Sunset Shimmer walked over to him calmly to examine the damage.

She slowly knelt beside him, and leaned over to look inside his knee. "Oh God! Wh-what did you shoot me for!!!? You crazy bitch!" He screamed.

Sunset Shimmer ignored his cries, and began to slowly make her way over to him. She eventually flicked it with her finger, and he was shouting louder than before as pain sorted up his leg.

"Damn." She said disappointed. Sunset Shimmer jumped to her feet.

"Sadly, this piece of shit did not take it completely off!" She announced over his screaming, shaking her gun angrily. "But if you look here,"

"You can clearly see arteries, bone, muscle and nerves. You can even see the exit wound! Unfortunately, it is still pretty intact!" She looked down at the mumbling human. "Sorry Flash, but will you please shut your trap? Trying to talk here!" She snapped at the screaming human.

The man continued to scream. "WILL YOU PLASE SHUT IT!!!" She yelled.

She shot another round into him!

TAT! 

Another shot rang out, and echoed through the halls. His head shot back. Blood painted the humans beside him, and the wall. His cries of pain, were instantly silenced. His body fell back. His head hit the ground with a dull thud. His gun clattered to the floor next to him, and a pool of blood began to slowly form around the corpse's head.


"What a waste of bullets."


She turned to her minions. She snapped a hand to the corpse. "Well? Go on! Take him away! He'll be on his feet within a couple days." She commanded, but unsure at the same time.

Two men clumsily dragged the body into to portal, leaving a faint trail of blood behind.

"Now....." She said, clapping her hands together and rubbing them. "Who's ready for a party!"

She tossed the gun forward. It clattered to the floor right in front of Princess Celestia's unconscious body, inches from her face.

With a flick of her wrists, flames erupted from her hands! More demons like her began to fly out from the portal, shrieking like banshies! They broke through the doors of the room, and glided throughout the castle, flinging balls of fire at everything, and everypony in sight! Every fireball exploded once they came into contact with anything! Pieces of marble wall and dust layered the ground and air like confetti.

They all met up in the throne room. The room which held Equestria's history in glass stained windows. They all lined up, each in front of their own window. On command, they all launched a fireball at the class windows. Glass rained down upon them all, as Equestira's victories were erased from the royal halls. With bloodcurdling cries, they flew through the broken windows and into Equestria! And Sunset Shimmer watched all of this from Celestia's bedroom.

Sunset Shimmer outstretched her arms, and yawned. She could use some rest. She'll let her men take care of the two princesses. Sunset Shimmer walked over to the Princess Celestia's balcony door's. She reach for the door handle, but she retracted her hand. Instead, she blew the doors away with a single fireball, and walked through the door. The crunching sound of glass pieces breaking underneath her boots, made her hair stand on end. She stood on the balcony, laughing uncontrollably. She watched the demons fly out into the night, and her laughs became howls of madness.

"You did it...You finally did it." She thought to herself.

"And to think I was gonna give this up. Give up a life where everybody follows my rules? Pfff. I don't think so!"

Already, she could hear screams of sheer terror in the distance. She smiled weakly in delight. Fatigued, she yawned and walked back inside to go to bed. She deserved it. It hasn't even been an hour since her arrival, and she already has made great progress. Soon, this whole kingdom will be hers. All...hers. She went to bed with that thought looming in the darkness of her mind. That very same thought, drifted her off into a deep sleep.

Yes, another day has passed throughout Equestria, only to have another day await them. A day of enslavement, and terror. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were being dragged along the rubble covered floors of the demolished castle by the glowing eyed humans. Gigantic holes have been blasted through the walls and celling in which cool spring air blew through the gaps, making an erie whistling sounds. She looked franticly at her unconscious sister, and back at every guard being dragged along with her. Where they were taking them, she was unsure.

All she knew was, that nothing was gonna be peaceful for a very long time.

Meanwhile, Sunset Shimmer slept peacefully in Princess Celestia's bed, as chaos continued throughout Canterlot. Ponies ran around like decapitated chickens. Demons picked off ponies, one by one. Some would be teleported away. Others...they would become one of them. An inhuman creature with a lust for anarchy. Soon enough this will spread to other parts of Equestria. 

And everything...will be hers.