Calm breaths were drawn. Hands were waved into the air as an aura engulfed them and sparkled in the air. Sunset stood as she slowly waved her hands in the air, allowing her magic to course through her fingertips. Such power that she was blessed with was once used to perform feats that caused plants to grow to an enormous size at an alarming rate. Magic that she once unsuccessfully used to earn the admiration of her peers. Instead, she was now a soldier that used her magic to fight. Not an ideal plan that she had, but it worked out for her in the end. All she needed was to defeat the toughest Transmutants alive.
Sunset Shimmer opened her eyes as they hardened at her opponents. Three other Elves stood before her with their hands engulfed in their magical auras. Sunset smiled in determination. She then vanished out of thin air, and reappeared behind one of the Elves. She sent quick punches and then vanished before the soldier could strike her. Sunset reappeared behind another Elf and engaged her in a fist fight. The two women sent jabs and kicks to each other. Sunset was struck in her side, causing her to grunt in frustration. She then sent an aura engulfed hand towards the other woman and sent her flying a few feet away. Sunset turned and found another Elf had sent his hands forward with a blue beam of magic that was headed towards her. Sunset projected a magical shield in front of herself, which blocked the beam. She then shot her hands forward and caused the shield to fly towards the Elf and slam against him. He grunted in pain and fell back as the shield shattered against his body. Sunset was then struck by a bolt of magic, causing her to cry out in pain as she fell back. She turned and glared at the first Elf that she had attacked as he began to charge towards her. Sunset rolled away from the incoming bolts of magic and then teleported out of harm’s way. Sunset then reappeared behind the Elf and delivered three bolts to his back, paralyzing him. Sunset's eyes widened as she spotted the two other Elves pointing their hands in her direction from both sides. She then smiled in amusement as their hands began to glow.
'Just gotta time it right.' thought Sunset. Her eyes watched the woman's hands carefully and she listened to the man's magic charge. After she heard the sound of the man casting a spell and saw the woman fire a bolt, Sunset's hands lit up. Suddenly, she vanished just before any of the bolts could collide with her and the soldiers were both struck by each other's magic. Both of them fell back from the impact, sending them into paralysis. Sunset reappeared on the left side of the field away from the fallen soldiers. She smiled in accomplishment.
"Oh yeah. I'm definitely going to take out any enemy that's thrown my way!" said Sunset. Although she was infuriated with Celestia's decision to ban MONARCH, she had found time to brush up on her skills in combat. However, she was frustrated because she was not quick enough at reacting to certain attacks. She scolded herself for not trying harder.
"Do you still need us? I don't think we have any chance at beating you." said one of the Elves.
"Nope. You guys won't be needed. I think I'm satisfied with my results." said Sunset. She then thought negatively about her results in the back of her mind. Her timing really irked her.
"Good." sighed another Elf. Sunset then popped her knuckles as she made her way out of the field as her comrades stood to their feet. The Elf woman sent her a glare while she wasn't looking.
"Damn, she's pretty good." said a male Elf.
"Hmph. If you ask me, that bitch is cocky." spat the woman.
"Yeah I'll be honest. She sometimes has this aura around her that gives me the impression that she thinks she's superior or something." said another man.
"Or it could be that you're insecure about being beaten by someone of a lower rank than you." said the first man with a chuckle.
Sunset lied down in her dorm on a small bed. The base that she and Erika were stationed at in Zebrabwe was much smaller compared to the other bases that she had been to. This one was mainly to house the soldiers and a few mechs. But, it had the numbers of soldiers needed to deal with a threat other than Transmutants. Sunset sighed as she turned on her bed and looked at the poster that hung on her wall. The poster depicted several figures in advanced armor that made them appear almost like machines. Among them stood a man with his helmet off and held at his side. The helmet appeared like a samurai's, the armor had a few eastern warrior influences as well. The MONARCH insignia was displayed proudly on his chest piece. The man in the poster stared at her with a neutral expression. A battle hardened warrior that has stared death in its lifeless eyes and came out on top as the winner and acted as the face of MONARCH. Hayato Yoshi was the kind of person that Sunset strived to be. A hero loved by all and hailed for courage and victories. She smiled at the poster as she continued to stare at the man.
'Man, what I'd give to meet you.' thought Sunset. Such a warrior of his caliber had risen to be a war hero before she had joined. Ever since she heard about him and his heroic acts, she idolized him as her hero. He was someone to look up to and fight for. In other words, he was the hero that people needed. Sunset hopped that one day that she could fight alongside him and be the hero just like he was. She had confidence that she could stand with him as an equal if not better. Her power was strong and her fighting skills were above most soldiers with the same rank.
"Hail the conquering hero." said Sunset as she ran her hand over the poster.
"Knock! Knock!" called Erika as she knocked on the metal wall to the dorm. Sunset yelped, startled by the sudden arrival of her comrade. Sunset immediately pulled her hand away from the poster with a light blush forming on her cheek.
"Oh! Hey!" said Sunset, nervously. Erika raised a brow.
"You alright? You seem a little anxious."
"I'm fine! Just fine." said Sunset as she cleared her throat. Erika shrugged in response as she made her way over to the other bed on the other side of the room. She then noticed the poster.
"Oh, cool! You have one of those limited edition posters from a couple of years back?" asked Erika.
"Huh? Oh! Uh...yeah! I won it in a lottery back when I was a recruit." said Sunset as she looked at the poster. Erika made her way closer to Sunset's bed and sat down on it.
"Wow, you're so lucky! I wonder what it's like to see these guys in action." said Erika in wonder. Sunset nodded in response.
"Yeah. I once heard they took on ten Transmutants at once." said Sunset as she admired the man in the poster. Erika noticed Sunset's gaze at the helmetless soldier. She then grew a coy smile.
"Does a certain somebody have a crush on the war hero?" asked Erika in a teasing tone. Sunset went stiff and began to blush furiously.
"Wh- I- I uh...No! No, I just admire him!" said Sunset frantically. Erika rolled her eyes.
"Suuuure you do." said Erika. Sunset sighed in annoyance.
"Sure, he's kind of handsome but I'm not crushing on him. I just admire him and his skills. I...I kinda look up to him." admitted Sunset.
"Wow. I never you knew actually had a role model, Shimmer." said Erika in surprise.
"Well, don't we all? I mean, that's what motivates us to become better right?" asked Sunset.
"Yeah, role models are good. As long as they don't set you up on a path of self-destruction or something like that." said Erika, casually.
"Wow. That's kind of dark coming from you." said Sunset, slightly unnerved at how nonchalant her comrade was about having false role models.
"Sorry, I've been getting stir crazy lately and restless. I need to burn my energy." said Erika as she made her way back to her own bed. Sunset lied back down with a sigh.
"I still can't believe that we were banned from Equestria. We almost had Lucky Dragon! I know we were close!" said Sunset in frustration. Her eyes glared at the ceiling as her mind wondered to Celestia's face.
"Hey, hey. It's not a big deal." said Erika, attempting to calm her comrade. Sunset looked at her with an appalled expression.
"Not a big deal?! He was our one way ticket to getting the respect that we deserved!" said Sunset. Erika's eyes slightly widened.
"Wait, wait. So, you didn't have a problem with killing him because you thought it would earn you respect?" asked Erika, her tone filled with disbelief. Sunset's eyes looked away in realization at what she just said. Her cheeks were hot in shame.
"No. No, th-that's not what I..." Sunset tried to take back the words that she had just said. But, it was already too late to retract her words. Erika stared at her in disbelief. It was disturbing to her, but realized that Sunset was different than what she originally thought.
"Shimmer, that's someone's life that you are talking about! It may be our job at taking them, but how could you just disregard it like he was an insect?" asked Erika. Sunset, clenched her hand into a fist.
"It's not like that." said Sunset, her tone was soft.
"But you were worried about a social status! You weren't worried if Lucky Dragon would hurt anyone or possibly himself!" said Erika, her tone rising. Sunset flinched at her tone. She felt like being back in her teen years when Celestia scolded her for venturing into the Equestrian Archives. Sunset turned to face Erika with a glare.
"Hurt himself? He's a monster! You want me to sympathize with...that thing?!" demanded Sunset. Erika's eyes widened at what Sunset had said and felt heartache fill her chest. Sunset saw Lucky Dragon as an unsympathetic monster. Erika had seen malice in Transmutants that she had previously survived encounters with. However, Lucky Dragon was different, as he showed fear and confusion. Sunset looked at her in confusion as she saw Erika's face made a dejected expression. Sunset tore her eyes away as she realized the cause of Erika's mood.
"A monster? What about me? Is that how you see me?" demanded Erika as her glaring yellow eyes pierced into Sunset's soul.
"N-no! No, I didn't mean you! You're different from the other Transmutants!" exclaimed Sunset. Erika stood up to her feet and made her way out of the dorm.
"Excuse me, I need to get some fresh air." spat Erika. Her eyes glistened with the beginnings of tears. Sunset hopped out of bed and rushed over to the exit of their dorm. She stood in the doorway and reached out to Erika. But, she couldn't find her voice. Sunset slowly pulled her hand back to herself with a frown. She gritted her teeth as stomped back into her dorm. She slammed her fist against the wall.
"Damn it!" Sunset cursed as she grabbed the sides of her head. She slammed her face into her pillow and gave a muffled scream. Her heart raced with frustration and anger. She had forgotten about Erika being a Transmutant during their argument. With that, she had used a derogatory term that some of her comrades used to dehumanize Erika. Sunset realized that she was insensitive with her choice of words let alone the subject. Sunset didn’t deny that she mostly aimed for taking Lucky Dragon's life for a gain that she wanted for years. But, Sunset felt sick to her stomach with that thought. She didn't know what was right from wrong when it came to interacting with other people like she has with Erika. She didn't even know what to do when it came to making up for what she said. She wondered how wounds made by words could be healed. Sunset had no idea because no one ever tried to heal her wounds given to her by the ostracism of her peers.
'Wait...what was it that Celestia did to comfort me?' thought Sunset. She hated the idea of looking back on that particular time in her past to help her with the present. But, she had little choice if she wanted to ease the tensions now created with her comrade. Sunset raised herself out of her bed and looked towards a bag. She began to dig through it in search of the item that she desired. Her face bore a small smile as she pulled out the item.
Erika sat outside of the base in the grass. Her yellow eyes stared down at the ground as she clutched her knees as the sun rained down its rays upon her. She was saddened with this turn of events. Not much has gotten better with her being a Transmutant. Sunset Shimmer was the first one who treated her like any ordinary individual. She was a breath of fresh air compared to the suffocation of not being trusted by her comrades and the loneliness that she felt. Those words stung her like a freshly made wound that has yet to be treated. A monster. That was all that she and the other Transmutants were to them. Sunset Shimmer was no exception.
"I wish that I was never brought back." said Erika as she rested her face into her knees, trembling from the growing storm of despair within her heart. Erika watched the grass as it was blown by the wind and how the trees rustled. The field was vast and the base was far from any settlement and animal habitat. Lucky Dragon could have been the answer to changing that along with Destoroyah. Still, she was disgusted with the thought of killing Lucky Dragon for glory and fame. There was no honor in it to kill a miserable being for such a reason. Erika looked at her hand as little vines wrapped around her hands.
"Maybe, I was just too hopeful to think that we could have been friends." said Erika to herself. Her hands absorbed the vines back into her skin. "We're just too different."
Erika stood up to her feet and looked back at the base. She sighed dejectedly as she made her way back inside. Her eyes looked down at her feet as she walked into the steel base. The sound of her footsteps echoed in the halls, which only amplified a sense of loneliness. Erika continued to walk but abruptly stopped as she nearly bumped into someone as she rounded the corner. Her eyes widened in surprise as she spotted Sunset. Erika looked away with a scowl.
"Oh. Wasn't expecting to run into you so soon." said Erika, her tone was harsh and cold. Sunset visibly flinched. She rubbed her arm as she avoided eye contact with the soldier lest she wanted to be found face down in her own blood.
"Shiragami... listen I uh..." Sunset tried to put her feelings into words but it proved much too difficult. It was worse than the time she had taken her first test back in school in her old life.
"I... I don't know how to put this. I know that what I said was messed up and... I know that I hurt your feelings about what I said." said Sunset. Erika's ears perked as she heard Sunset spoke in a soft tone that carried careful treading, as if she were trying to mend the pain. She slowly turned to face Sunset and found her rubbing her arm as she looked away. She appeared to be struggling to speak.
"I've never been in a situation where I had said hurtful things to someone as close as you are to me. In fact, I never even had any friends. I never had any to get into fights with or to apologize to. I'm not very good at apologizing." said Sunset. Sunset turned to face Erika as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a mirror.
"Shiragami, what do you see?" asked Sunset. Erika raised a brow in confusion. She then took the mirror and began to look at it.
"Um...myself?" asked Erika. Sunset shook her head.
"No. I meant, what do you see inside yourself?" asked Sunset. Erika frowned as she continued to stare into the mirror. Her once emerald green eyes had completely changed into a foreign color. Yellow. She hadn't realized it until she looked at herself.
"A freak of nature." said Erika as she handed Sunset back the mirror and made her way past her. Sunset gritted her teeth and clenched her fist. She hated hearing Erika talk about herself in such a way. The Elf immediately turned and grabbed the Transmutant and pulled her back. Erika yelped as she was forced to face Sunset again. Her shoulders were held tightly by the Elf.
"That's not what I see! I see a beautiful and strong woman. I see a woman filled with courage who continues to fight for the people who shun her because they can't see past her outer shell. I see a woman who still has humanity in her!" Sunset's stare locked with Erika's eyes, causing her breath to be caught in her throat. Such sincerity in her tone was beginning to cause the storm inside of her to pass on.
"Shiragami...I'm sorry about what I said. I didn't mean to hurt you. I do want to find Lucky Dragon for praise." said Sunset as she released Erika.
"But why? Why is it important to take his life away for glory? If he is crazy as MONARCH claims, why take the mission to raise your standing?" asked Erika. Sunset sighed as she leaned against the metal wall.
"Because...he's my only hope at giving me what I always wanted. I want to be respected for my skills. I want admiration! I want to be loved!" said Sunset. She removed herself from the wall and made her way closer to Erika.
"I have spent years trying to improve myself upon magic! I studied everything there was to know about magic! I worked hard under my teacher to become better! And what happens? I'm hated because I can perform certain feats that took them weeks to accomplish!" said Sunset in anger. She slammed her fist against the wall, causing Erika to flinch.
"I tried to make friends when I was younger! I thought they would like me because of my talents! I thought they would admire my intelligence! Nobody ever wanted to get close to me! Nobody asked me to hang out or to have lunch with them!" shouted Sunset. Her eyes burned with anger, her breathing was heavy as she seethed. The white core of anger was erupting from within her from all of the years of being ostracized by the other students.
"Shimmer!" cried Erika. It was hurtful to watch the Elf lash out on the wall and to hear the distraught tone. She could feel the loneliness, anger and sadness in her. This was not the kind of person that she had originally seen in her comrade.
"When I had the opportunity to fix the problem, my teacher told me that I was selfish! She banned me from her castle and she removed me from the position as her pupil! I hate that bitch! I hate her!!" screamed Sunset. She was about to slam her fist against the wall one final time. But she stopped as Erika immediately latched onto her. Sunset tried to force Erika off of her back as she thrashed erratically. She drew quick breaths as her adrenaline raced. Erika's strength overpowered her as she held on tighter as she was careful not to crush the Elf. Sunset's breathing slowed down, but she still sounded distress. Her eyes watered as she began to slump back into Erika's grip.
"I-I-I... I just want them to see me as someone that's worth their time. I want them to accept me." muttered Sunset. Erika gently lowered herself and Sunset against the wall as she gently stroked Sunset's head.
"I have all of this power and no one seems to care. That's why I joined MONARCH. I thought they could have given me the opportunity to be the heroine." said Sunset. Erika sighed.
"Shimmer, I'm sorry about what happened to you. It's a terrible thing for anyone to experience. But, I think you've got it all wrong." said Erika. Sunset turned to face her in confusion.
"Wha-what do you mean?" asked Sunset.
"Well, you want to be loved and admired. You want acceptance. I totally get that! I want to be accepted too. But you're going about it all wrong." said Erika. She then released Sunset and sat beside her.
"You can't just earn these things by showing off your power and intelligence. I know it's great to have such talents but you have to sometimes be careful with them. The way you speak and the way you think. I'm sorry to say but you come off as arrogant." said Erika. Sunset winced as she heard those last words. Arrogance was not a pretty label.
"You really think I'm arrogant?" asked Sunset with a frown.
"Sorry, but I kind of do. What do you think could have been the cause of ostracism back when you were younger?"
"Well, I guess I might have shown off a bit of too much power when I was passing an exam. I ended up growing an entire plant to sprout to be enormous that it wrapped itself around what remained of the building it burst out of." said Sunset as she thought back to her past. Erika's eyes widened.
"Wow! It- Uh! Never mind, let's stay on topic!" said Erika. Sunset nodded in response.
"I did tend to show a lot of power when it came to projects. I think I might have intimidated some of my other classmates." said Sunset as she rubbed her arms. She remembered how they would be passive aggressive about wanting to partner up with her for a group project. She then turned to Erika with a frown. "I only did it because I wanted to show them how good I was at magic! I wanted to give it my all when it came to assignments of both magic and other standard studies!"
"You have to show humility when it comes to this stuff. It's OK to be talented, but if you show it off, you could send the wrong kind of impression. People can get jealous sometimes and can get the wrong idea if you don't show modesty." said Erika. Sunset sighed.
"How could anyone make friends? People make it look so easy!" Sunset said in exasperation. Erika pointed at her chest.
"Don't try to awe them with your talents. Present yourself as an equal to them. That's how you can make a friend. It requires a mutual trust and caring between individuals." said Erika. Sunset sighed as she leaned against the wall. Erika placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Sunset Shimmer, I forgive you." said Erika. Sunset looked to her in surprise.
"B-but... I said such awful things! I was insensitive about you being a Transmutant! How could you forgive me just like that?!" asked Sunset with an appalled expression. Erika gave her a small smile.
"I know. I was hurt about what you said and I don't agree with your reason for killing Lucky Dragon. But...it touched me that you cared enough to apologize to me. You were sincere and you showed genuine concern! No one other than my father has done that for me ever since I was changed into a Transmutant." said Erika. Sunset's lip slightly quivered. "Shimmer, did you really mean what you said about me? Do you think I'm courageous?"
"I do! I could never hold my own if I were your shoes! I barely even held on in school! I wish I could be as strong as you." said Sunset. Erika smiled.
"Well, even I get discouraged. I hear people whisper behind my back about me. I sometimes wish that...they leave me alone. I already lived my life. Now I have to continue fighting a war that I should be allowed to rest from." said Erika solemnly. Sunset frowned.
"Shiragami, if you'll allow me, I'll continue to fight by your side!" said Sunset. She then held a face of determination. Erika looked to her in surprise by the sudden upbeat tone in Sunset's voice. "I swear that I will help you if you ever need anything, even if we're not on the battlefield!"
"Shimmer..." said Erika with wide eyes. Her heart was touched by the kindness that this woman was showing her. She couldn't remember how long it was since someone last stood up for her. Ever since the deaths of her former squad, she had felt alone. She had grown to trust them and now she was forced to fight alone with no one to turn to for advice. The commanding officer that offered to help her when she was in need was far from where she was. He was relocated somewhere else after MONARCH was banned. But, here was her comrade offering to help her.
"Does...does this mean you want to be...friends?" asked Erika with hopeful eyes. Sunset reeled back in surprise. Her breaths were shallow and her stomach was filled with butterflies.
"F-friends? You...you really want to be my friend?" asked Sunset in disbelief. Erika nodded.
"I would like to. I feel like that I can trust you. You're the only person who hasn't shunned me ever since I was changed." said Erika with a smile. Sunset hid her face as a small sob nearly escaped from her mouth. Erika gasped.
"Hey, what's wrong?!" asked Erika, frantically. Sunset calmed herself and cleared her throat.
"It's nothing. Sorry." answered Sunset. She then turned to Erika with a smile.
"I...I would be honored to be your friend." said Sunset. Erika smiled brightly in response. Her heart leaped with joy at the offer, but Sunset’s performed acrobatic feats from the amount of happiness that she felt from the offer of friendship. Sunset immediately dove for Erika and wrapped her into a tight hug.
"Oh!" yelped Erika with a chuckle. Sunset immediately released her and rubbed the back her neck awkwardly.
"Uh...sorry. That was out of line of me." said Sunset.
"Hey, no worries! I'll allow a hug from a friend." said Erika. Sunset gave her a smile in return.
"Thanks, Erika."
The next day...
The alarm blared throughout the base. Red lights flashed around the halls and the siren echoed in the air. Soldiers scrambled to the armory and gathered their weapons. Soldiers were wearing their armor that designated their specific class. The support members of every squad began to gather the ammunition and explosives that they were in charge of holding onto to give to their squad. The soldiers all began to march out of the armory and made their way outside into the field. Outside of the base, we find the MONARCH duo that had recently formed a friendship. Sunset and Erika wore their armor as they carried their weapons. They were ordered to take the lead on the incoming threat as a few snipers were ordered to follow them for the mission. The two ran through the jungle of Zebrabwe and passed many trees with vines that hung from above. The monkeys that hid in the trees called out into the morning. As the two ran, they frightened off any small critters that scurried on the ground and hid behind a large tree, both lightly panting. Sunset slowly peaked over the tree and found an open area on the other side of a river. In the lake, they found several men in small boats bearing weapons. These weapons were neither spears nor swords, but MONARCH's weaponry. Sunset's eyes widened as she reached for her helmet's side and pressed against it.
"This is Private Shimmer. I have sights on the targets." said Sunset. The radio crackled slightly after she had finished speaking.
"This is Control. Private, what do you see?" asked a man over the helmet's radio.
"It's as the C.O. said, control. They have our weapons." answered Sunset.
"Damn. Private, we need you and Shiragami to take those pirates out. Make sure you leave at least one of them alive. We need to know how many of our weapons they have before they can figure out how to produce more." ordered the man over the radio.
"Understood, sir. Over and out." said Sunset. She deeply inhaled as she held her rifle tightly. She then looked to Erika. "Ready?"
"You bet." said Erika as she held out a sniper rifle. Sunset nodded to her in approval. She then dashed over to another tree and hid behind it.
"Snipers are in position." announced a woman over the radio. Sunset placed her hand on her helmet again.
"Paint your targets. Leave only a couple alive." said Sunset.
"Um...which ones?" asked the woman. Sunset reached into her pack and pulled out a pair of binoculars. She spotted a couple of older men among the boats. They appeared to be shouting orders as the boats sailed.
"Spare the older men. Take out the younger ones. I have a feeling we might get some useful info out of them." said Sunset.
"Copy that." said the woman. Erika pulled on the latch connected onto her rifle and began to look through the scope. She began to aim over the head of one of the younger men. She felt uneasy about killing humans, but she remembered how these were dangerous men that have pillaged and raped innocent people. Their possession of MONARCH's weapons made them more dangerous. Erika inhaled deeply as she took aim at her target. She then pulled the trigger and the rifle gave a high sound as it fired a bolt of magic. The bolt was fired at high velocity, traveling through the air and whizzing through the man's skull, causing him to immediately drop dead in the boat. The men were startled as he had suddenly fell over and fell into the lake. They began to panic while searching for the assassin and firing their weapons in random directions. Erika immediately hid behind her tree before a bolt could hit her. Sunset's binoculars were shot of her hand, causing her to panic. She immediately dropped onto her belly and held her hands over her helmet. Suddenly, more bolts of magic began to fly towards the men in the boats. One by one, they dropped dead from the shots to their heads. Soon, only a few shots were being fired. The older men were still alive and were firing their guns as they continued to panic. Sunset sighed in annoyance.
"Hey Erika, think you can shut them up?" asked Sunset over the radio.
"You got it!" said Erika. She then morphed her forearms into tendrils. She leaped from behind the trees and shot her hands forward. The tendrils extended and knocked the rifles out of the hands of the pirates. They gasped and stared in terror as Erika came closer and waved her tendrils into the air. Before they could leap out of their boats and into the water, Erika shot her vines forward and caught them. The tendrils entangled them and pulled them from the lake and onto shore. The men began to shout in panic. Erika then threw them down on the ground and wrapped her tendrils up to their mouths, silencing them.
"Got 'em." announced Erika with a smile. Sunset came out of cover and made her way over towards the trio.
"Good work! Now, all we need to do is have those guns picked up and interrogate these sorry bastards." said Sunset. She then kneeled next to the man with a threatening expression.
"Hey, we've been called here to deal with a pirate problem that the good people of Zebrabwe have been dealing with lately. Now, they called us here because you guys apparently grew to be a bigger problem than they originally thought you were." said Sunset. She then gestured towards the pistol on her holster.
"Apparently, you and your band of pirates have gotten their hands on our weaponry. Now, I find that odd since MONARCH doesn't like to share its toys with other countries. Can you blame them? We'd probably just end up killing each other in more ways than we already do." said Sunset as she picked up her pistol and twirled it in her grip. The men watched her fearfully as she pointed the gun at them.
"Now...if you want to live, you better start talking." said Sunset in a threatening tone. She then placed her hand on the trigger as she held the gun up to the man's forehead. The man began to shout incoherently as the vines muffled his words. Erika looked to Sunset in worry. Sunset nodded to her and Erika slowly removed the vine from the man's mouth.
"I'll talk! I'll talk!" said the man frantically. His speech carried a thick accent. The other man glared at him and began to give muffled shouts.
"Alright, get to talking. Who gave you our weapons?" demanded Sunset with a glare.
"Nobody! I swear to you! We found them at an abandoned base off of the coast!" said the man frantically. Sunset gave him a suspicious glance.
"No one, huh? Let me see if your story checks out." said Sunset. She then placed her hand on the side of her helmet. "Control, I need you to run a fact check for me."
"Of course, Private. What is it that you need?" asked the man over the radio.
"I need to know if there are any abandoned bases off of the coast from here." answered Sunset.
"One moment." said the man. Sunset waited a minute as silenced filled the radio. Then, she heard the sound of a microphone muffling.
"There is a base on the coast that was hidden. Apparently the base was attacked by dragons many years back." said the man over the radio. Sunset wore a deadpanned expression.
"And no one thought to clean up after the attack?" asked Sunset.
"We were worried about an incident between two warring nations at the time. Besides, dragons are tough to take out. Magic projectile weapons are nearly useless against them." said the man with a slight nervous tone. Sunset sighed in response.
"Right. Well, we're going to bring these guys back for further questioning. Over and Out." said Sunset as she removed her hand from her helmet. She then glared at the man before her.
"You're going to tell us where your friends are hiding out. We are going to get our weapons back." said Sunset in a low tone.
A few hours later...
The trip had been slow. Nearly a dozen soldiers were piled into a boat that roamed through a river. It was large enough to hold them all and was made of metal with the MONARCH insignia painted on the side. The engine purred as it propelled over the surface of the lake. They laid low in the boat as the darkening sky shrouded them. The sound of crickets chirping was heard throughout the area as the trees were illuminated by the dozens of fireflies. It created a wonderful sight in the jungle as stars matched the illuminating insects. However, the beauty could not be enjoyed by the soldiers for multiple reasons.
"Man, it's freaking crowded." complained a soldier. Another soldier slapped herself against her neck.
"Damn mosquitos." cursed the woman as she removed her hand brushed at her neck. The soldiers were growing anxious at the coming mission. They were informed of the location of the pirates that had gotten a hold of their weaponry and were ordered to infiltrate their hideout and eliminate them. The government of Zebrabwe mostly wanted their elimination to prevent the further loss of life of the people that remained in a traditional life style opposed to a modern one. The pirates had even grown to become a larger problem with the interference of trade between nations.
Erika sat next to Sunset Shimmer as they waited for their transport to stop. She held her rifle close to herself and slightly glanced at Sunset. The Elf noticed her glance and gave a slightly annoyed expression.
"You've been staring at me like that for the past hour." deadpanned Sunset. Erika quickly looked away.
"N-no I haven't!" said Erika.
"You have so!" retorted Sunset. She then sighed in response. "What's wrong?"
"You weren't actually going to kill that guy were you?" asked Erika. Sunset snorted in response.
"No. I was just trying to scare him so he could tell us what we needed to know." said Sunset. Erika gave her a look of weariness.
"I don't know... you seemed pretty serious."
"I watched a lot of movies where the cops did the bad cop, good cop thing." said Sunset with a shrug. She sighed with nostalgia. "Man, good times."
"Oh. Sorry." Erika apologized sheepishly.
The boat continued on down the river at a slow pace. The soldiers were anxiously waiting for a sound or a crackle from the radio. The anticipation for a dangerous battle where men bore the weapons as they did made them uneasy. They were normally capable of taking care of human enemies because they used weapons that MONARCH hardly relied on. Suddenly, the crackling sound of the radio reached their ears.
"Alright, Team 1 is in position. We have eyes on the pirates' hideout." said a man over the radio. A woman in the boat reached for her helmet's side.
"Copy that. Team 2 is nearing the waypoint." said the woman.
"Stay on your toes soldiers. These pirates are packing a lot of firepower." said a man over the radio.
"Great. Just great. We're boned, man!" said a younger man as he trembled with fear. His hands were sweating and his eyes were wide.
"Hey! Man up, soldier!" said the woman as she grabbed the soldier by his shoulders. "You have a job to do! If you so much as bitch out, I will put my boot down on your throat! Is that understood?!"
'Yikes.' thought Sunset and Erika as they flinched at the woman's tone and threat. The man nodded frantically. The woman released her and made her way to the center of the boat.
"Alright, listen up! I get how everyone is on edge about fighting pirates that have a pile of firearms. But remember, you have been trained to use these weapons! These are just a bunch of cowardly scavengers that have taken toys beyond their age limit!" said the woman as she looked to all of the soldiers under her command. "Battles are fought with weapons but they are won by men and women! We will make them regret that they decided to rob MONARCH!"
"Let’s go!" chanted the soldiers. The woman smiled.
"That's what I like to hear."
The boat continued down the river and made its way over towards the shoreline. The soldiers immediately took off from the boat and onto land. They cocked their weapons and steeled their muscles in preparation for battle.
"Alright, let's lock and load people!" said the woman. The soldiers all took off from the boat and treaded through the dark forests. The sound of their boots squishing in the mud was heard along with the sound of leaves being stepped on. Erika and Sunset ran close by to each other, prepared for the fight. The soldiers stopped near a clearing and hid behind the trees and boulders that littered the area. Beyond the clearing were rows of houses made of shoddily carved wood and metal sheets that made up the roofs. Lights illuminated from the windows in the distance. Men armed with guns stood by the houses and roamed the area like hawks in search of prey.
"Team 2 is in position. We're ready." whispered the C.O. as she spoke into the radio.
"Copy that. Our snipers are in position and are ready to strike first. Have your team attack from their rear when I tell you. One other thing, keep an eye out for hostages." ordered the C.O. of Team 1.
"Roger that." said the Team 2 C.O. Silence filled the air. The incoherent dialogue between the nearest soldiers reached their ears. They spoke in their native language and their voices were quiet due to the distance. Sunset hardened her stare as her heart began to race. This was her first time at fighting humans in her service to MONARCH. She was unsure how to feel about this. Suddenly, her ears picked up the sounds of shouting, knocking her out of her train of thought. Men were shouting in their native tongue and the sounds of gunfire filled the night along with the flashes of light from the weapons. After waiting a minute, more pirates rushed out of their homes and ran through their neighborhood. The sound of shouting and gunfire escalated.
"Team 2, take out these pirates from the rear!" ordered the C.O. of Team 1.
"You heard the man. Let's move out!" shouted the Team 2 commanding officer. The soldiers all ran out of their hiding spots and dashed down towards the settlement. Erika and Sunset took the lead. Erika's speed took her to one of the nearest houses in ten seconds. Sunset merely teleported from her location and reappeared behind a house's wall. She took quick breaths as she peaked over the corner. Erika made her through the rows of houses as she crouched. Her yellow eyes scanned the night like a predator searching for prey. She spotted a straggler moving out of one of the houses. Erika placed her rifle on her backside, allowing the magnetic plate to stick the weapon to her. She then dashed towards the pirate and lunged on his back. She immediately grabbed his neck and head and quickly made a swift motion and twisted his neck. The sound of bones snapping reached her ears, signaling the successful assassination. Erika immediately lowered the pirate and dragged him out of sight into a bush. She then took her rifle and made her way over towards the house that the pirate had exited out of. She immediately burst through the room with her rifle pointed at whatever target that she could find. Her eyes widened and her spine felt a chill running through her body. She slowly lowered her rifle and dropped to her knees as Sunset burst into the room.
"Erika, what are you-" Sunset's eyes widened in horror at the sight that she beheld. Her heart was wrenched at from staring at such a grotesque and tragic sight.
"Oh...." muttered Sunset as her breaths grew shallow. Two male soldiers, a Earthbound and Valkyrie, made their way into the house from behind Sunset.
"Hey, you ladies are missing out! We-" the man stopped as he and his friend had noticed them staring at something. They couldn't see because their backs obscured their view.
"What? You two found some of MONARCH's weapons?" asked the Earthbound. The Valkyrie tapped his shoulder. The Earthbound looked over to him and noticed the angry expression on his face as he stared where the two women were staring. The Earthbound raised a brow in confusion and began to feel anxious. He made his way over to his side to look past the women's backs and paled at the sight of corpses that littered the ground. Dead men, women and children lied down with bags over their heads that have been singed from magic bolt shots. Erika's eyes glistened with tears as she reached for one of the lifeless children that lied closest to her, but she pulled her hand back, knowing that her hopes with futile. The child was gone along with the other people in this house. Sunset clenched her fist as she stared down at the ground with tears that threatened to fall. Her breathing grew heavy.
"These must be some of the people from one of the native tribes that were kidnapped. I guess MONARCH was too late when it came to finding and rescuing them." said the Valkyrie in a low tone. Sunset felt her anger beginning to boil.
"How could anyone do something like this? I expect this from Destoroyah and his group, but this...I could never see a human doing this!" said Sunset. Erika trembled as she sat on her knees and clawed at the wooden floor.
"Evil has nothing to do with race. Even humans can be just as bad as the so called, 'Transmutant Revolutionaries'. We tend to forget that." said the Earthbound. Erika stood up to her feet.
"Those..." said Erika as she picked up her rifle, her voice was like hot steel that burned with outrage. Sunset felt herself growing worried for her friend.
"Erika?" called Sunset.
"Those savages! I am going to kill every last one of them!" said Erika in a low tone. She then turned and quickly made her way through the doorway and began to sprint into the battlefield.
"I'm with her." said the Earthbound. He then made his way outside and chased after the Transmutant. Sunset then made her way outside with the Valkyrie in pursuit. Erika ran through the neighborhood with her rifle tightly held in her grip. She found four pirates rushing through as the sound of gun fire echoed in the air. Erika raised her rifle and shot multiple times at the men, forcing them down with several bolt wounds. Erika continued on and began to leap onto house roofs. She stomped onto the metal sheet and caused the roof to collapse. As she dropped in, she was suddenly surrounded by six men armed with guns. Erika threw her rifle towards the nearest pirate and sent a kick towards the man behind her. The sound of bones shattering can be heard. She then quickly sent a jab towards the neck of another pirate and then swept the leg of another one that nearly butted her in the skull with the back of his rifle. Erika did a series of kicks, punches, and side steps to take down the pirates in six seconds. The last remaining man fired his rifle at her and shot her in the shoulder. Erika grunted in pain and picked up the shotgun left by one of the pirates and fired. The buckshot of magic orbs scattered and pierced the upper body of the pirate, forcing him off of his feet and into the wall. Despite killing her opponents, Erika refused to feel any satisfaction until all the pirates were killed.
Sunset teleported out of the line of fire of a pirate that was firing a mounted machine gun on the roof of a house. She reappeared closer to the house and under his line of sight. Sunset then immediately ran back as she pointed her rifle at the soldier and fired. The bolt collided with his skull and knocked him off of his feet. Sunset sighed in relief as the man with the big gun had been eliminated. She heard the angry cries of Erika along with the shouts and agonizing cries of the pirates, causing her to turn and follow the cries.
Soldiers stood together as they hid behind trees from incoming bolts. One tree was being constantly bombarded by the pirates using light machine guns. The tree wouldn't last much longer as soon as the bolts continued to chip away at it. Bark flew off of the tree and burned from the hot bolts. A soldier was caught by a rifle bolt as he attempted to find cover.
"Medic!" cried the wounded soldier as his comrades dragged him off to safety.
"Get the heavy artillery!" ordered an Elf man with a rifle in his grip. Suddenly, two soldiers came out of cover with a large device carried over one of their shoulders with a long, large barrel. The other soldier stuck a projectile into the front of the device and patted the soldier on the back. He then stepped away from him and covered his head as he crouched. The soldier with the launcher fired a rocket that was propelled through the air and was headed towards the incoming pirates. The rocket crashed in front of them and blew them away. A few were killed instantly while others lost their limbs.
"Move up!" ordered the Elf. The soldiers gave a war cry as they charged out of cover and began to fire upon the next wave of pirates. There were at least over a hundred of them, but MONARCH was willing to take them all. Many MONARCH soldiers were shot dead by the pirates, while the other surviving soldiers took out some of the pirates. The sound of explosions filled the air as soldiers and pirates tossed explosives at one another. Bodies were blown into the air and cries of pain and anguish filled this night.
Erika had abandoned her rifle and was now using her abilities to punish the pirates. Her clawed hands slashed at any pirate that shot at her and the snapping rose headed vines hissed as they lunged at any pirate that tried to sneak from behind. The roses bit into the bodies of the pirates, leaving severe mauled wounds. Erika leapt high into the air as a grenade flew towards her. She then kicked it while in midair and sent the grenade crashing down towards three pirates. They were engulfed in the explosion as Erika landed.
"Raaaaaaaahhh!!!" Erika screamed as she clutched her head and dropped to her knees. Her head was throbbing and her muscles ached. Flashes filled her mind of something that was unfamiliar to her. A conversation between a certain black moth and herself. She remembered the last moments of her life as human being, but she did not recall what the conversation was about. She wondered why she could not hear the words that left his mouth. Erika continued to cry out in pain as her body began to morph. She stared at her hands as they turned completely green like a plant and began to change shape. Her body tore through her suit and her helmet had fallen off as she thrashed around. Sunset had arrived and gasped at the sight.
"Erika!!" cried Sunset.
"Gah!" shouted Erika as her body continued to change. Her belly began to glow and her neck began to sprout rose petals and her face grew paler. Her head was nearly hidden behind the growing rose pedals that surrounded her neck and went up to her head. Her body grew to be seven foot five in height as she grew clawed hands. Her spine was exposed from her backside as her mammalian flesh was turned into the composition of plants. Her spine bore a row of familiar dorsal plates from a certain Transmutant that she was crossed with. Her breasts and lower region of her body was covered in a patch of green loose plants that made a top and a bottom skirt. Her mouth then sprouted sharp teeth. Sunset stared fearfully as she gave a wail. Erika's body was covered in vines, her shoulders sprouted small boney spikes, and her backside sprouted two more of the rose headed vines. Her belly gave a glow of an exposed area that appeared to be pulsing with light. Erika panted as she kneeled down on the ground. Sunset slowly approached her with caution. Erika turned to find a shattered mirror, but her eyes widened in horror at the creature that was before her. She reached up to her face, finding it to be pale as the dead with no blood giving it color. Her eyes lacked pupils and were merely orbs illuminated by the moonlight. Her spine was exposed and her flesh was covered in plants and vines. Her belly glowed and pulsed.
Erika turned to find Sunset approaching. The Elf gasped as she saw the pale face of her friend. Her hair was still in a bun and her entire neck and head was surrounded by petals. The Elf nearly did not recognize the humanoid plant with the face of a woman.
"Erika?" called Sunset, hoping that only a physical change was done to the one she had called friend. Erika immediately stood to her bare, clawed feet and ran away.
"Erika!" cried Sunset as she pursued the Transmutant.
"Stay away from me!" begged Erika. She continued to run through the neighborhood of the pirates’ hideout as the battle had gone on. She would never abandon a mission to fight, but now she couldn't. If her comrades didn't accept her then, they definitely wouldn't now. Erika was so lost in her fear and despair that she had failed to notice that she had wandered into the battlefield. Some of the pirates gave terrified cries as they laid eyes upon her and the eyes that pierced their souls. Erika hid her face away from them. They suddenly turned and began firing their weapons upon her. She cried in pain as the bolts continued to rain on her as a dozen of the fifty remaining pirates attacked. Her plant hide was burned and began to leak a yellow liquid. She then glared at the pirates and began to fight back. She swung her clawed hands and cut the pirates down in seconds. Her vines strangled them as she continued to disarm and eliminate her foes.
"Oh crap! What the hell is that?!" exclaimed one of the soldiers as he pointed from behind a rock. The closest soldiers followed his finger and found a humanoid plant woman decimating the pirates closest to her.
"Whatever it is, it better not come over here!" exclaimed a woman as she continued to fire at the pirates. One of the male soldiers recognized the pale face of the creature.
'Oh my god. Is that Shiragami?!' thought the man. He knew about her being a Transmutant. He never really minded her but he never took the time to get to know her. All he knew was the physical feats that she was capable of. It appears that MONARCH scientists failed to mention that she could transform. He silently prayed that the woman was still sane after this was over.
Other soldiers began to notice this and began to panic and started shouting about a Transmutant.
"Just keep fighting! It's not bothering us, so we'll deal with it later!" ordered the commanding officer.
Erika was suddenly blown away by a grenade that had fallen near her. Her legs were blown off into ash as she landed. She cried in pain and misery. Soon, a few of the pirates pointed their weapons at her.
"I'll see you in Hell, abomination." said one of the pirates in a thick accent. Suddenly, the men were struck by a beam of magic. They cried in agony as they dropped to the ground. Sunset panted as her hands gave off smoke from her attack.
"Sorry, she's going to be late." said Sunset. Erika turned her head looked at her in shock. Sunset gave her a small smile as she approached her. Erika tried to scramble away from her, but her pain was too much. She whimpered as she tried to crawl away. Soon, the last of the pirates were defeated by the remaining MONARCH soldiers. The battle had ended. Sunset made her way over to Erika as she crawled away.
"Erika, stop!" cried Sunset. Erika didn't listen. She merely continued to strive for an escape.
'I-I have to get far away from here!' thought Erika frantically. She suddenly felt her body wrapped by an invisible force. She gasped as she was levitated over to a wall of one of the houses. She was set up against the wall on her rear. She shielded her face from Sunset's gaze.
"Don't look at me! I'm a freak!" cried Erika. Sunset merely walked closer to the Transmutant. She knelt down before her and gently took her hands. Erika tried to keep her arms in place as Sunset tried to move them away, but she was filled with so much pain that it was too much for her to put up a fight. Sunset moved her arms away to find Erika clenching her eyes shut.
"Erika, look at me." ordered Sunset. Erika trembled in her presence. She feared that Sunset was just toying with her so she could shut her down and reject her friendship now that she had seen this form. Erika hesitantly opened her eyes, expecting to find a look of contempt or disgust on Sunset's face. Instead, she had a look of sympathy. Sunset leaned in and pulled Erika into an embrace, causing the Transmutant to gasp in surprise. Sunset held her tighter.
"No...you're not. You're my friend and I promised you that I would help you if you ever needed my help." whispered Sunset. Erika felt her eyes water. "And I intend to keep that promise."
Erika lightly sobbed into Sunset's shoulder. The rose vines had shrunken back into her back. Her tears flowed down her pale cheeks. Sunset fought her own tears as she continued to hold Erika. Behind them, a few soldiers approached with their rifles raised. They cautiously approached the two with their fingers on the trigger.
"Stand down." ordered the commanding officer of Team 1. The soldiers turned with bewildered expressions.
"But-"
"I ordered you to stand down. You're pointing your weapons at our allies. Team killing is punishable by being stuck in front of a firing squad." warned the Elf. The soldiers reluctantly lowered their weapons. The Elf looked onto the two women that sat on the ground with a small smile.
'Good to know that she's still sane. It'd be a shame to lose a valiant ally.' thought the Elf as he looked on at Erika as she held Sunset with a small smile.
Later that night...
Erika sat down in her dorm room alone. Her body had reverted back to its original state. She wore her standard shirt and sweatpants as she sat on her bed and as she clutched her knees. She recalled the aftermath of the battle. The weapons were in the process of being gathered. Plans for visiting the abandoned base were made to make sure that nothing else was nothing left to be stolen from MONARCH.
Erika clutched her knees tighter as she recalled the wary stares of her comrades. More whispers reached her ears. Such terrible things that she heard. A freak. A monster. No positives. Now that they have seen what she had turned into, now any chance of gaining trust from the others were gone. She then heard the sound of footsteps approaching. She looked up and found Sunset walking in with a sigh. She sat on her bed.
"Man, what a day." said Sunset. She then noticed Erika's dejected expression.
"Now they'll never accept me." said Erika. Sunset frowned. In a way, she and Erika had something in common. It was terrifying to see Erika change. But, after she saw her face, she still saw the humanity that hid behind her eyes.
"Don't worry. One day, they will learn to. But until then, just know that I accept you." said Sunset with a reassuring smile. Erika tore her eyes from her knees and looked to Sunset. A small smile appeared on her face.
"Thank you, Sunset Shimmer."