//------------------------------// // Magic 20: サンライズ // Story: 友達は魔法少女 ~FRIENDSHIP IS MAGICAL GIRLS~ // by MythrilMoth //------------------------------// "Mother, why won't Celestia-sama acknowledge me? Have I not proven my power? Have I not proven that I deserve to be advanced in rank?" "You are very talented, daughter, but talent alone does not make you worthy of the rank of Apprentice Sage." "Is it my age?" "No...it is your ambition. It worries Celestia-sama. It worries me. You don't understand Harmony. How can you ever hope to be a Sage if you reject the very principles—" "Harmony! I'm so sick of hearing about Harmony! The Sage of Magic is a title that should belong to the mage of the greatest skill and power!" "And this is why you will never be an Apprentice Sage, Shimmer. Until you are willing to learn the lessons of Harmony—" "I've had enough of this. I'm leaving." "Your mother must've been so heartbroken that day." "Get out of my mind!" "You need to see this..." Sunset Shimmer stood over her mother, who hung suspended in midair. A large onyx chalice lay beneath her. Sunset Satin's eyes were filled with terror. "Shimmer...what are you doing?" "Taking what I want," Sunset Shimmer said. "Taking what I deserve. The power to rule Sun Island...I will punish Celestia for spurning me!" She held a long, thin silver sword. Runes all along the length of the blade glowed crimson. "Daughter...why...how could I have failed you so...?" "You should've thought about that before it was too late, mother." Sunset Shimmer plunged the sword into her mother's heart. Sunset Satin screamed; the chalice underneath her lit up with golden runes. Sunset Shimmer pulled the sword out of her mother's body and licked the blade clean. The magic of the chalice and the sword combined drew every drop of blood from Sunset Satin's body into the onyx bowl beneath her. It collected, gleaming with faint, wispy golden magic. Once the flow of blood ceased, Sunset Shimmer tossed her mother's lifeless body across the room, then began chanting a complex spell. The blood in the chalice lifted in a thin, winding stream, flowing in a helix around Sunset Shimmer. Slowly, it began to soak into her very skin, imbuing her with all the stolen magic of her mother. She threw back her head; shafts of golden light streamed from her eyes and mouth. The door flew open and three of the temple guards charged in. They cast containment spells; Sunset dispelled them with a negligent wave of her hand. They cast attack spells; she repelled them, launching crimson fireballs which incinerated the guards. "Enough is ENOUGH!" Celestia appeared in the room in a blinding flare of sunlight. A ball of pure solar magic wrapped itself around Sunset Shimmer. She struggled against it; Celestia fought to contain her. More guards rushed in; Celestia dropped a barely-conscious Sunset Shimmer to the floor. Sunset glared up at Celestia. "You're nothing to me now," she spat. "I've got more power than you can imagine." "You've used dark magic to make yourself immortal," Celestia said sadly. "Very well. You may enjoy your newfound immortality in the black halls beneath the Mountain of the Moon. You will never see the light of the sun again so long as you live." "We'll see about that," Sunset Shimmer said, laughing as the guards bound her wrists in mana cuffs and hauled her away. Celestia turned to examine the lifeless body of Sunset Satin. Tears streamed from her eyes. "Was it worth it? Murdering your mother? Betraying your idol? Condemning yourself to a life of infamy and scorn?" "Do not listen to this simpering fool. "You are stronger than her. You are stronger than all of them. "You are stronger than the sun. "You have no regrets!" "I HAVE NO REGRETS!!" Fluttershy was blown several meters away as a blazing silver fire engulfed Sunset Shimmer, melting away the chains that bound her. Sunset grabbed Spike by the neck and threw him negligently to the side, then rose to her feet, ripping the kunai from her throat, which healed instantly. "Nice try," Sunset snarled. She extended a hand, palm-first, toward Fluttershy; a silver fireball gathered before her. "Just so you know...having somebody else invade my mind? Really pisses me off. I think I'll kill you first." Fluttershy sat up and looked at Sunset. "Having somebody else in your mind upsets you? Then what about that other voice?" Sunset faltered. "Other voice..." She shook her head. "No. There was no other voice. There was just you, trying to mind-rape me into submission." Fluttershy stood up. "You're wrong. You're not alone in there." Her eyes were full of concern. "I AM SUNSET SHIMMER! RIGHTFUL RULER OF SUN ISLAND AND THE WORLD! EVERYTHING I HAVE DONE HAS BEEN FOR ONE PURPOSE, AND THAT PURPOSE IS POWER! THE POWER TO DOMINATE EVERYONE WHO STANDS BEFORE ME!" "I will bring night to the world, and the night will last forever," Twilight Sparkle said as she walked alongside Fluttershy. "All will gaze upon the moon and know that I am their Goddess incarnate." "What?" Fluttershy asked, looking at Twilight. "Those words sound familiar, don't they, Sunset?" Twilight asked. The silver fireball weakened as Sunset blinked. "What?" "I am Empress Luna, rightful ruler of Sun Island and the world. Everything I have done has been for one purpose, and that purpose is power. The power to dominate everyone who stands before me. I will bring night to the world, and the night will last forever." Twilight gave Sunset a measuring stare. "They made us memorize that speech during our first year studying the history of Sun Island. She's in there, isn't she? Inside you." Sunset Shimmer took a step back, shaking her head. "N-no...you're wrong...I...I just knew those words would frighten you..." Rainbow Dash's lance slammed into the back of Sunset's head, knocking her to the ground. Applejack rushed up, emptying glowing orange magic bullets from her revolvers into Sunset's torso, which jerked and twitched with each shot. Sunset pushed herself up onto her hands and knees, her wounds regenerating. She glared up at Twilight. "Clever," she said. "You know you can't win, so you're trying to mess with my head." A pink fireball slammed into Sunset's side. A blue wave of energy ripped through her neck. She ignored it all. A flaming green sword cut into her thigh. She took a step closer to Twilight. Her hands burst into silver flame. With a wordless scream, she charged, wrapping her hands around Twilight's throat. "TWILIGHT!" Twilight could only scream as Sunset's magic burned through her body. Behind Sunset, Spike burst into red flames. Roaring, he charged, grabbing Sunset by the shoulders and pulling her away. Her cape melted away; her skin burned and blistered from the heat Spike was generating. Pinkie rushed in and pressed the barrel of her bazooka against Sunset's temple. "SMILE HOLY VAGINA!" An explosion of pure white light obliterated Sunset Shimmer's head; her body sank to its knees, smoke curling from the cauterized stump of her neck. A chilling laugh filled the air as a silver mist wrapped around the headless body. Sunset Shimmer rose to her feet; silver flames blew Pinkie, Spike, and Twilight off their feet. Sunset Shimmer's head regenerated. Twilight massaged the burns on her neck with glowing hands. Magenta magic seeped into her throat. "I'm getting really sick of you pathetic weaklings," Sunset Shimmer said. "Fluttershy-san, again!" Twilight rasped. Spike grabbed Sunset's head and kicked her in the small of the back, forcing her to her knees. She struggled against his grip, but he held firm, his burning aura warding off her magic. Fluttershy flew forward, shoving her shield into Sunset's face. "ANGEL MIRROR!" "That...won't...WORK ON ME!" Sunset Shimmer screeched. A torrent of silver fire burst from her mouth, driving Fluttershy away. Rainbow Dash caught her and set her on the ground gently. With a roar of rage, Sunset Shimmer once again blasted Spike away; his red flames flickered and died as he fell to the ground. "ERASE MAGIC!" A wave of golden light studded with violet sparkles washed over Sunset. She stood fast in the torrent, folding her arms. "That won't work on me either, Sparkle!" she declared. "Maybe not...but perhaps this will!" Several strips of parchment inscribed with runes attached themselves to Sunset Shimmer at her forehead, navel, heart, shoulders, and the small of her back. Trixie landed halfway between Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle, forming a rapid succession of hand seals. Her eyes burned with fierce determination. As she formed the final seal, the runes on her wards burst into pale blue flame. Sunset Shimmer stiffened, arms and legs locked in place. "What...?" A silver haze rose from Sunset's body. It glowed softly, becoming a stream which flowed from Sunset to Trixie. Trixie's eyes glowed silver as the mist enveloped and permeated her. When the last of the silver mist dissipated, the parchment wards burned away into drifting ash, and Sunset Shimmer sank to her knees. "Trixie?" Twilight gasped. "What...?" Trixie turned, lowered her mask, and smirked at Twilight. "Trixie came to collect her payment," she said. "Since it was never Sunset Shimmer's intention to honor our initial contract, Trixie decided to take possession of the most valuable thing she owns." Her eyes shone with silver fire. "We will meet again, Twilight Sparkle." And with that, she vanished in a burst of silver flame. "NO!" Sunset Shimmer screamed. "The power of the Lunar Seal! It was mine! IT WAS MINE!" "Was being the operative word here," Rarity said. Her Element of Generosity appeared in her hand. "Looks like you just lost your trump card," Rainbow Dash said. The Element of Loyalty appeared, and she grasped it firmly. "Does this mean we can finish her off now?" Pinkie asked as she held out her palm, allowing the Element of Laughter to fall into it. "I hope so," Fluttershy said as she cupped the Element of Kindness to her heart. "Me too, Ah'm gettin' kinda tired," Applejack said, holding the Element of Honesty. The Element of Magic appeared above Twilight. "Everyone, gather around me!" she said. "No! No...you can't!" Sunset Shimmer cried, rising to her feet. Crimson flames burned in her hands. "S-stay back! I'll kill you all!" A weighted rope wrapped itself around her legs, dragging her to the ground. Spike slapped a parchment ward to her back which burned emerald green. "You're not going anywhere," he said. The six Element Bearers joined hands. The Elements of Harmony floated serenely before them, shining brightly. "This is the end, Sunset Shimmer," Twilight said. "You sought power for your own glory...but true power comes from accepting and believing in others. You never understood Harmony..." She frowned. "Neither did I. Not until I came here. Not until I met these girls...my friends... "But now I understand the true power of friendship. It's a power stronger than any magic. No...it IS magic!" The Elements of Harmony pulsed, shedding waves of rainbow light. "The magic of friendship is strong enough to defeat the dark power within you, a power born of selfish greed and ambition!" Twilight's eyes began to glow. The Elements of Harmony fired solid beams of colorful magic at Sunset Shimmer, binding her in a rainbow of light. With a loud, ringing chime, a solid shaft of rainbow magic, bright enough to light up the night, shot into the sky, spreading out in a prismatic shockwave that washed over all of Pony City. When the light faded, Sunset Shimmer remained on the ground. Her hair was frazzled, but her body was unmarked. She glared at Twilight. "I'm...not finished...with you..." "Yes you are," Twilight said. She pointed her golden rapier at Sunset. "Erase Magic." The golden torrent washed over Sunset again, its violet sparkles spreading across her body. Sunset struggled against her bonds, but found herself unable to move. For almost a full minute, Twilight's spell washed over Sunset Shimmer. When at last it ebbed, Twilight sagged, her transformation reversing on its own. Applejack blinked. "Is it over? Is she...?" Twilight shook her head. "When the Elements of Harmony connected, I realized..." She sighed. "Killing her was not an option. That isn't how the magic of Harmony works." Sunset Shimmer wriggled around on the ground. Spike hauled her into a sitting position, then summoned a shirt from his pocket dimension and wrapped it around her. She glared hatefully at him. "So...what now?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Now, we wait," Twilight said, looking up at the still-burning wreckage of Kirin Tower. "The Elements of Harmony removed Sunset Shimmer's immortality. I took away all her magic. She's nothing now. She can never hurt anyone ever again. As soon as the sun rises, I'll send a message to Celestia-sama. She'll send someone to take her back to Sun Island...back to her prison cell." She looked at Sunset Shimmer with pity in her eyes. "You're going to spend the rest of your life in darkness," she said. "You said you have no regrets...but I wonder if you can really live with yourself when it's just you, alone, without your magic...knowing you've lost everything..." "Fuck you," Sunset Shimmer spat. Tears spilled from her eyes. "You and your friends can go suck a—" Spike clubbed her in the back of the head with the hilt of a kunai, and she dropped like a sack of rice. "I think we've heard enough," he said. He looked up at Twilight. "What about Trixie?" he asked. "Did she do what I think she did?" Twilight sighed. "Yeah," she said. "She absorbed the Lunar Seal magic from Sunset Shimmer. We...actually kind of owe her our lives." She looked out at the police and civilians who were slowly closing in on them. "We'll have to report that to Celestia-sama, and...I'm sure it means we haven't seen the last of her, but...right now, I'm just too tired to care." The police detective approached the girls as, one by one, they reversed their transformations. He frowned at the unconscious Sunset Shimmer. "I'm going to need to place that one under arrest," he said. "The rest of you...I'll need to take you into custody until...until we can figure out exactly what happened here." Twilight smiled and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Keibu-san, but that's not happening. We're going home, and we're taking her with us. Don't worry...she's never going to bother anyone ever again." The detective frowned. "Young lady, you don't understand...I'm not letting you leave—" One by one, seven girls and one boy disappeared into thin air. * * * * * The girls and Spike had regrouped at Rarity's house. Twilight had locked Sunset Shimmer in a closet upstairs and cast a powerful sleep spell on her. After that, she had used Rarity's house line to call her mother. "So...sleepover?" Pinkie asked Rarity. "Of course, darling," Rarity agreed. Twilight hung up the phone. "The girls are with Okaasan," she said. "She took them back to our place. She said she managed to get through to Scootaloo's mom and let her know where she was." "Whaddya mean 'managed'?" Rainbow asked. "Scootaloo's family doesn't have a land line," Twilight said. "Mobile service is...really bad right now." "Huh? Why's that?" Rainbow asked, scratching her head. Twilight was about to explain, but Pinkie, surprisingly, interrupted. "Don't you know anything?" she asked. "Kirin Tower's the communications hub of Pony City! Most of the cell towers in the city are just range extenders for the transmitters that used to be there before Sunset Shimmer blew the thing up!" "It's the same with television and radio," Rarity said. "Without Kirin Tower, everything's messed up. Even the Internet's affected." "Oh," Rainbow said. "Huh. Didn't know that. I thought it was just a place to look at the city and buy crap." "Do we really gotta send her back to Celestia-sama in one piece, Neechan?" Spike asked. "Couldn't we like, cut some bits off?" "Spike," Twilight sighed. "Sorry. I just..." Twilight drew Spike into a hug. "I know," she said. "Let's...let's all get some rest. Oneesama is coming by in the morning to check up on us..." She grimaced as she rubbed at her neck; her throat was still raw. "And...and I'll have to report to Celestia-sama." * * * * * By morning, Kirin Tower was no longer burning. A haze of smoke still lingered over the heart of Pony City. Announcement cars roamed the streets, declaring a public day of emergency and announcing the closure of all non-critical government offices and all schools for the day. Twilight stood before a full-length mirror in one of Rarity's guest rooms. "Communication." Celestia's study appeared in the mirror. "Good morning, Twilight Sparkle. I am relieved to see you are well." "Celestia-sama," Twilight greeted. "We have taken Sunset Shimmer prisoner. She has been stripped of all her magic...both her own, and the magic she has stolen." Celestia let out a sigh. "I don't know how you managed that, but...I'm relieved you didn't end up having to kill her. I hated the thought of...of having you do that..." Twilight shook her head. "It might have come to that," she said. "And..." She looked away. "Part of me...wanted to kill her. But..." "But you didn't," Celestia said, smiling. "Are your friends with you?" Twilight nodded. "Gather them all together," Celestia said. "I will join you shortly, to speak with all of you." * * * * * The mahoushoujo and Spike gathered in Rarity's sitting room. Celestia's image appeared before them. Twilight launched into a detailed report of the previous night's events, with interjections from the others. Once the full story had been told, Celestia looked around at the group. "You have done well," she said. "I am proud of you all...you've faced a dangerous enemy together and prevailed. And...I thank you for your services to both your own nation and to Sun Island." Twilight sighed. "Well...I guess as soon as the guards arrive to pick up Sunset Shimmer..." She looked at her friends. Her eyes shone with tears. "I guess...Spike and I will be..." She swallowed heavily. "Going home..." Twilight's friends gasped. "What?" "No way!" "Why?" "You can't be serious!" "But..." Twilight looked down. "Our mission here is complete," she said. "That means..." Celestia laughed musically. "Twilight Sparkle...do you really think I'd be so cruel as to separate you from your friends so soon after you've met them?" Twilight looked up. "But...!" "Twilight," Celestia said with a smile, "there's nothing more for you to learn on Sun Island. Certainly nothing as important as what you can learn where you are now. Not only can you learn about the outside world, but...you can learn about the importance of friendship." She looked around at the girls. "Your destinies are all intertwined with Twilight Sparkle's, now and forever," she said. "The Elements of Harmony will remain with you, as will Twilight Sparkle." She turned her attention to Twilight. "You have the rest of your life to worry about ancient tomes and lore. You're young. You need to enjoy life. You need to be with your friends. Sun Island will still be here when you're ready to return." "But...what about Okaasan?" Celestia laughed. "I don't think she'll mind staying in Neighpon." Her expression grew serious. "If I need you...and your friends...I'll let you know. But for now...you've more than earned time to relax. Have fun with your friends. Find a boyfriend. Do...whatever it is kids do in Neighpon. Right now, your friends need you more than Sun Island does. And you need them." Twilight wiped her eyes, a happy smile on her face. "Thank you," she said, bowing. "Thank you so much..." "Group hug!" Pinkie declared. The girls laughed and gathered together, clinging desperately to one another and crying. Spike looked on, a smile on his face. "Thanks, Celestia-sama," he said. "I kinda like it here too. The girls sure dress sexier." Celestia rolled her eyes. "Keep an eye out for that Lulamoon girl," she said. "It worries me that she's stolen the Lunar Seal magic." "Yeah..." Spike sighed. "She's an odd one..." "You know," Rainbow said suddenly, "we've still got a problem. Dozens of people saw us last night...they got video of us and everything...and we kiiiiinda resisted arrest..." "We resisted being taken into custody for questioning," Rarity said. "That's not quite the same thing." "It's still a crime, though," Fluttershy said nervously. Twilight sighed. "You know? After what we went through last night with Sunset Shimmer? I think we can deal with whatever the media and the police can throw at us." "I'll do whatever I can to help with that situation," Celestia said. "Though at this point, I fear it's no longer possible to erase the knowledge of mahoushoujo from the people of Neighpon. Your secret will be out, and you will have to live with people knowing who and what you are." She frowned. "The police thing, I'm sure my people in Neighpon's government can fix." "It'll probably be a while before we really have to deal with a lot of people bugging us about last night," Pinkie said. "Probably the only good thing to come out of Kirin Tower blowing up...it's a lot harder to share all that video." "For the moment, I suggest you all take today to rest and relax," Celestia said. She looked around. "As far as hideouts go...this isn't bad at all." Rarity smiled. "Mi casa es su casa, as they say, ladies," she said. "I have matters to attend to," Celestia said. "Job well done, girls." Her image faded from view. An hour later, two men in white suits, wearing the crest of Sun Island on their lapels, arrived to take Sunset Shimmer into custody. Once she was gone, the girls and Spike spent the rest of the day relaxing. As night fell and the girls turned in for the night, Twilight found Spike on the roof, looking out over the city. "Something wrong?" she asked. Spike shook his head. "No, just...thinking." He stretched. "I nearly lost you again last night, Neechan. It...it scares me." "Spike..." Spike suddenly pulled Twilight into a crushing hug. He looked her right in the eyes, then gently kissed her on the lips. "I'm never letting you get hurt like that again, Twilight," he said. Twilight stared at him, stunned. Unable to find words, she opted to look out over the city. For as far as she could see, the hazy night was lit up by flashing emergency lights. It would take Pony City a long time to heal from the wounds Sunset Shimmer had inflicited on it, but life would go on. The sun would always rise. Magic 20: サンライズ "Are you sure it's in there?" "Positive." Three lithe female shadows leapt onto the roof of a museum in Deer Valley. One held out a hand; in a flash of pale amber light, a pair of paper tags appeared. She attached them to the corners of a ventilation grate, then motioned for the others to back away. Five seconds later, the tags glowed amber and exploded, sending shrapnel in all directions. "We have three minutes. Go!" The shadowy figures ran silently for the open duct, diving headlong into the museum's ductwork. Two minutes later, they landed in one of the many rooms of the museum. All around them, crystals and gems and unusual rocks sat within plexiglass cases. The leader of the burglars pulled a compact LED flashlight from a tool pouch on her belt, shining it around the room. The light fell upon a rough-hewn, fist-sized chunk of quartz, cut in the vague shape of a crescent moon upon a pedestal. "It's there," she said. She motioned for the others to give her room, then pulled back her right hand. An amber glow surrounded her hand, shaped like the talons of a massive bird of prey. Letting out a piercing screech, she punched through the plexiglass and grabbed the crystal. "Let's beat it!" "Hold it right there!" a man's voice yelled. Three security guards rushed into the room, nightsticks drawn and ready. One of them turned on the lights. The sudden illumination revealed three women in tight-fitting purple spandex bodysuits with black spandex hoods, black leather boots, and black leather gloves. The tops of their boots and gloves were trimmed with jagged gold piping, reminiscent of lightning bolts. They each wore a pair of amber goggles. "Take them down!" the leader snapped, charging the guards. The others followed suit. Before the three guards knew what was happening, they had been beaten into the ground. The leader drew a serrated kunai from her belt and slashed the guards' throats. "Let's bail." Ten straight minutes of running later, the thieves stopped in a dim back alley. "So...was this rock...really worth committing...murder over?" one of the thieves gasped. "Heheh...oh yeah," the leader said. She stripped off her goggles and peeled off her hood, revealing snow white hair, frosted lavender at the tips of her forward-swept bangs. Her golden eyes glinted as she studied the crescent-shaped quartz crystal. In the wan moonlight, it began to glow from within, a pale silver shine. "Girls, pack up. We leave tonight. We're going to Pony City." つづく・・・