• Published 28th Sep 2013
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Sunset Eclipsed - EldritchNexus



Sunset Shimmer, purged of her inner evil by the Elements of Harmony, prematurely returns to Equestria. There, she is given the chance to learn the values of friendship first-hand.

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Lightning in the Dark, Part 2

"Spike, I'm gonna need to you write down a message to the Princesses." said Twilight Sparkle.

"What for, Twilight?" asked Spike, who was straightening out the books on a shelf in a library.

"Because there's this weirdo pegasus outside, that wants to paint a picture of the Alicorn Amulet."

"Really, they do that?" asked Spike. "Who does he think he's fooling?"

"I have no idea." said Twilight. "He also says he's Applejack's cousin, even though I've never seen him at any of the family reunions."

"Well, come to think of it, I don't think I've ever met Applejack's mom or dad, either." said Spike. "So?"

"Never mind." said Twilight. "Let's just get started on that letter. Also, I'm thinking about checking on Sunset Shimmer again. I think she might know something about this guy."

"Uh, Twilight? Sunset's not in Canterlot." said Spike. "She went to Vanhoover a couple days ago."

"What the heck would she be doing there?" asked Twilight.

"I don't know." said Spike. "I just got the message from Princess Luna last night. Apparently, she took her brother, and Trixie, Lightning Dust, and Dr. Pressure Point with her."

"And you didn't tell me, Spike?" questioned Twilight. "C'mon, I thought we got over this! Can you get the message to me?"

"Well, here's the thing." said Spike, sheepishly. "I...sorta...set it ablaze right after reading it. I had some hiccups yesterday, and...well, you know how I get when that happens."

"Fine, we'll go to Canterlot to ask about it later." said Twilight. "The pegasus outside's very antsy for some reason. I'm gonna give him what he wants, and then if it turns out to be something bad, I'll put him in his place."


Later, outside of Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy led Crazy Graffiti into the Everfree Forest. After several hours of walking, the pegasus in the ten-gallon hat was getting impatient. When they entered a clearing, Graffiti thought it was time to question his two guides.

"So, when are we all gonna go and get there, huh?" questioned Graffiti. "I ain't got all freakin' day, ya know."

"Oh, don't worry your little head about it, sir." said Twilight, chuckling nervously. "It's right around the corner now."

"What corner?" asked Graffiti. "There's corners all over the darned place!"

"Whatever are we going to do with him?" asked Fluttershy.

"Just follow my lead." whispered Twilight. "You have to trust me on this!"

"Darn it, will ya'll quit messin' 'round with each other, and get me to the zebra's house?" groaned Crazy Graffiti.

Suddenly, a dragonfly buzzed out of nowhere, and harmlessly hovered by Graffiti's face. Annoyed, the pegasus hocked up a glob of bright green phlegm, and spat a loogie at the insect, which stuck the insect against a nearby tree. Fluttershy, being sympathetic towards all animals big and small, gasped in horror.

"How could you do such a thing?!" she said, offended.

"Don't think nothin' about it." said Graffiti. "It was just a little bug."

Twilight Sparkle made a quick analysis of the loogie that pinned the insect to the tree trunk. It looked oddly familiar to her. she lightly pressed a hoof against it to free the dragonfly, but it nearly stuck herself to the tree, as well.

"Yep, just as I thought." said Twilight, who turn her head towards Graffiti.

"Oh, What the f-" Graffiti exclaimed when he saw Twilight's horn glowing.

The pegasus was knocked against a tree.

"-udge is...going on here?" coughed Graffiti. "Golly almighty, that went and knocked the wind right outta-"

"Drop the act, Changeling." said Twilight. "Really, I've been hanging around the Apple Family long enough to know that your accent is the fakest I've ever heard in my life."

Then Crazy Graffiti burst into green flames, revealing Ghost.

"Wow, an albino Changeling?" thought Twilight, examining the shape-shifter's true form. "That's very strange."

"You think you got me?" said Ghost. "Just you wait."

The Changeling's horn glowed, and then fired a blast of energy at Twilight Sparkle. The beam was deflected by a barrier spell that Twilight conjured from her own horn. Ghost then launched himself towards the purple alicorn, and grappled with her in mid-air.

"Oh, dear!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "Twilight, what should I do?"

"Get help!" said Twilight, struggling. "I'll try holding him off! Just get Rainbow Dash and the others over here!"

"I don't think so!" shouted Ghost, who struggled to turn his head in Fluttershy's direction.

His horn glowed, and Fluttershy was thrust against another tree. In response to this, the alicorn furiously struck Ghost several times.

"How dare you hurt my friend?!" exclaimed Twilight Sparkle. "You do not--"

She struck his head hard.

"--do that--"

Twilight hit him again in the torso.

"--To Fluttershy!"

"Oh, that's what her name is?" said Ghost, reeling from his bruises. "All you ponies have the silliest names ever. We Changelings have much better ones."

"You are in no position t--" Twilight began.

"Oh, shut it!" interrupted Ghost. "I thought that testing my skills against a princess would be fun! But I see that this is just a big waste of friggin' time for me. You're boring the heck right out of me, Twilight Sparkle, so I'm going to have to cut this short. See ya!"

Then in a flash of light, he vanished. Twilight Sparkle and the newly-recuperated Fluttershy gasped in surprise.

"Where'd he go?" Fluttershy whimpered.

"I have a hunch." said Twilight. "Get back to Ponyville, and tell the others to meet at Zecora's place."

"Right, Twilight." said Fluttershy. "What about you, though?"

"I'll try and stop that Changeling from doing anything that could plunge Equestria into turmoil." said Twilight. "And tell Spike to find a spellbook with something that can be used to cancel out teleportation spells. I think I'll need to learn one of those very soon."

"Okay, I'm going now!" said Fluttershy, who happily sped through the air back to Ponyville.

Twilight Sparkle then cast a teleportation spell of her own, and found herself outside of Zecora's dwelling. Almost immediately, she heard a loud rustling noise and several shouts and grunts inside, indicating that Ghost was already inside, and that Zecora was putting up quite a fight against him.

"By Celestia, I hope I'm not too late!" exclaimed Twilight.

She barged into the door, just in time to find the white Changeling had the zebra in a headlock.

"Where's the amulet, you two-toned weirdo?!" growled Ghost into Zecora's ear.

"Stranger, please don't shout; I don't know what you talk about." strained the zebra. "And if you must gripe, please don't take it out on my windpipe."

"I'm talking about the Alicorn Amulet!" said the albino Changeling. "Twilight Sparkle said it was here, now don't deny it! Where's the blasted thing?"

"If you let me go, I will tell you what I know." pleaded Zecora.

"If it's not what I want to know, you're not leaving this building alive. You got that?" threatened Ghost, even as he unclasped his gnarled hooves from the zebra's neck. "Now where's the Alicorn Amulet?"

"Don't tell him, Zecora!" shouted Twilight. "He'll probably try to kill you, anyway!"

"This Changeling is not so bright, to threaten a live before Princess Twilight." commented Zecora, relieved.

"Like I'd need to be bright to handle a zebra!" said Ghost. "Even Sigma could break you!"

And then he cackled malevolently.

"But really, I don't need your help, anyhow." said Ghost. "This is all in good fun. I already know where the Alicorn Amulet is."

He pointed towards a black-and-silver box in a corner of the house.

"Really, how could I not spot that?" he questioned. "If you're going to hide something from a dangerous enemy, you should know putting it in plain sight is a very bad idea. Especially when Changelings are involved."

And then his horn glowed, and conjured up a barrier spell that separated him and the container from Twilight Sparkle and Zecora. Simultaneously, he levitated the container towards himself, and smashed the lid open. He put a hoof into the box, and yanked out none other than the black talisman, which was still fastened to its cord.

"Well, how do you like that?" grimaced Ghost. "It would be a real shame if this thing were to fall into the wrong hooves..."

"You wouldn't dare!" shouted Twilight, in vain. "Put that back now, Changeling, or you'll be sorry!"

Ghost simply guffawed, and then teleported away again, taking the amulet with him.


"Wake up, kid!" said a female voice. "Come on, talk to me!"

" Lighten up, Spitfire! The tryouts aren't supposed to start again for another ten minutes!" argued Lightning Dust, as she lay half in a dream.

"What in Tartarus are you talking about? Just open your eyes!"

Lightning Dust's golden eyes opened up, to see a tall red unicorn mare looming over her.

"Hi." said Lightning, simply. "Good morning?"

"I think it's half-past noon, actually." said the unicorn. "So, it looks like we're cellmates."

"Not for long!" said Lightning, getting herself up quickly. "I'm busting us out!"

The blue-green pegasus shot towards the cell door, and pummeled it with her front hooves. Her attempt to escape was met with a concussive blast from a Changeling jailor outside. She was pushed back, and smacked against the back of the cell.

"So do you have any more bright ideas, little miss hotshot?" snarked the unicorn. "Or are you going to continue banging your head against a brick wall?"

"Um...sure." said Lightning, trying to shake off her sudden dizziness. "Just give me a little while to pull myself together. By the way, the name's Lightning Dust. Second best flier in Equestria."

"Well, I suppose it's nice to meet you, Lightning." said the unicorn. "Not the name I would've chosen, but it doesn't really make a difference, does it? Well, since you gave me your name, I'd might as well give you mine. My name is Scarlet Blaze."

"So you're Radiant Dawn's mother?" asked Lightning.

"That's right." said Scarlet. "But how do you know him?"

"I'm his gi..." hesitated Lightning. "I'm a good friend of his. I'm also gal-pals with Sunset Shimmer."

Scarlet raised an eyebrow.

"I see." she said. "Well, I may not know what my children have been up to for the past fifteen or so years, but any friend of my son and daughter is a friend of mine."

"So, what should we do?" asked Lightning Dust.

"We should bide our time." said Scarlet Blaze. "We can come up with a plan later. Right now, this place is too heavily guarded. We'd never have a chance to escape. But don't worry, I have a hunch about something. I'll explain it later, though. You'd might as well get yourself comfortable in the meantime."

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