//------------------------------//
// The Rage 
// Story: Turn Cruel 
// by Gpizano 
//------------------------------//

	It was a typical Saturday night in Canterlot city, the streets were alive with the hustle and bustle of its' citizens and their various activities. Whether that meant catching a movie, sharing a romantic dinner, or just taking a stroll through the park to enjoy the clear night sky, it painted a perfect picture of contentment that belied a more sinister event taking place.

“Either you do what I say or things are going to get even worse for you!”

There was a loud bang and a weak cry echoed through the warehouse, a frail girl with pink hair was pinned to the metallic wall and held up by the front of her white tank top. The pink haired girl weakly gripped onto the wrists of the one assaulting her, eyes watering from fear and pain as she desperately pleaded for mercy.

“P-Please… Sunset Shimmer, don’t-!”

The whimpering girl was pulled forward before she was slammed back against the wall once again, this time her head bouncing from the force put into it.

“Start by dropping the disguise. I’ve watched you all day and you are not Fluttershy you miserable little pest!”

Sunset Shimmer continued to glare at the girl before her, not flinching as “Fluttershy’s” whole demeanor suddenly changed on a dime. Instead of breaking down into tears, she matched the red head’s glare for glare before a flash of green light surrounded her. Instead of the sweet, pink haired girl that Sunset Shimmer knew, in her place was a being completely alien in looks. It retained the humanoid form, but now the skin was completely black and with a sheen that gleamed from the moonlight that filtered in through the windows of the warehouse. It had no hair, its’ ears came to a point and it was dressed in dark street clothes, but the most eerie part was the eyes. Pupil-less, no iris, completely blue sclera that seemed to glow as its’ face was partially covered in shadow.

“Very clever.”

It hissed, a low, barely audible sound of clicks heard as the Changeling spoke.

“But it is all for not. We have captured your friends, out numbers are growing and our queen is regaining her power. You are alone in this battle, Sunset Shimmer, and without your friends to give you magic, Celestia’s great failure of a student can do nothing to stop us!”

That last comment made Sunset avert her gaze to the ground, her eyes hidden by the shadow of her bangs. The action made the Changeling smirk, thinking that it had struck a serious blow to the former unicorn’s confidence. Which was why it was surprised to see Sunset raise her head… and smirk. 

“You really don’t know anything about me… do you?”

Instead of words, all that came from the Changeling was a strangled grasp as suddenly, Sunset Shimmer let go of its’ shirt and pressed her forearm against its’ throat with so much force it thought that its' windpipe might be crushed. Sunset watched as the Changeling struggled, the red head still smirking but seemingly detaching herself from the situation. It was only when the other being’s movements began to become sluggish did the pressure let up and she let the Changeling take in a precious breath of air.

“Before my friends helped me? I was angry, resentful, I turned an entire school inside out, pitting friend against friend, blackmail, and, if I had to, I could put my enemies down.”

To emphasize, she pulled her free hand back before slamming her fist into the Changeling’s mid-section, using enough force it would have been doubled over on the ground if she hadn’t been holding it up. Once it had recovered and could raise its' head again, the look on the Changeling's face showed that it was starting to get a grasp that the situation was rapidly going from bad to worse.

“You took my friends, you’re threatening their lives. I am very angry. And I will do anything to save them.”

Leaning in, she came uncomfortably close to the Changeling’s face. It tried to pull away as much as it could but with the warehouse wall to its’ back there was no where to go and all it could now see were a pair of teal blue eyes. It could do nothing to quell the strangled scream that managed to claw its’ way out as the whites of Sunset Shimmer's eyes became black and her pupils turned into slits.





Ten minutes later the door to the warehouse opened, Sunset Shimmer, her eyes back to normal, stepped out and swiftly closed it behind her as she ignored the pitiful whimpers that echoed from within. She was only able to take a few steps away before she stopped and gripped her right wrist to stop her fist from shaking. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath before opening them again, her whole demeanor one of determination as she continued towards the main street where her motorcycle was parked.

Sunset knew she wouldn't have much time before that Changeling dragged itself back to its' allies and reported what had happened, but with the information she had... coerced, from it... she had a location and nothing would stop her from getting there. 

After she picked her helmet up from off of the seat and put it on, she began fishing out her keys from her jeans pocket but paused when her fingers brushed over a familiar set of shapes. The keys were slowly raised up to her eye level but what had her attention was on the small key chain attached to it, given to her by Fluttershy that had an apple, a diamond, a balloon, a lightning bolt, a star, and a butterfly on it. Simple, handmade... completely heartfelt. The red head leaned back on her bike and just gazed at it for a moment that seemed to drag on for hours before she finally put the proper key in the ignition.

"... please forgive me..."

The engine blared to life, it's rumbling echoing throughout the empty street as the engine warmed up. Then with a loud screech she was off, a skid mark on the asphalt the only sign that Sunset Shimmer had even been there as she flew down the street, her speed great enough that the wind whipped up behind her and sent a few bits of litter scattering about. As the sound of her vehicle faded away into the night, there was an eerie, almost unnatural silence that fell upon the area.