When the Sun Sets

by Deep

BFFs

The magic of friendship consumed Twilight, invigorating her. With a slight frown, she glared at the assassin, causing him to stumble backward in fear. She didn’t want to hurt him. She didn’t want to hurt anypony. But for her friend, she was ready to do what needed to be done. “This is your last chance,” she said, sadness softening her voice. “Leave.”

The assassin shot her a glare of his own. He adjusted his body to line up with her, and positioned himself in a fighting stance, as if he was ready to ram into her with everything he had.

“Please. I know you’re hurt. You don’t have to keep doing this for money.”

“This is all I’m good for,” he said, vitriol filling his words. “Not everypony is destined to be Princess Celestia’s prized pupil.”

He disappeared, but Twilight used her magic to catch him midway as he sped toward her. Trapped in her magical grip, he struggled to break free, but was unable to. Shaking her head, she slammed him to the ground, causing his mask to crack. She picked him up, before slamming him down again. And again. And again.

She continued smashing him against the metal and glass beneath them until his mask and armor shattered and fell off. She picked him up one last time, but took a moment to gaze at his features. His body was covered in scars--no doubt battle wounds--and he was built quite muscularly for his age. She figured he would’ve made a great Royal Guard with his skills and build. And then there was his cutie mark--a blue shield adorned with a streak of lightning.

“You don’t have it in you,” the assassin said with a growl.

Twilight paused, contemplating what she had to do. Despite her gentle nature, she had no problem fighting to protect others. But could she kill? Even if it was the most rational and logical action to take?

She looked into his eyes, instantly seeing the years of pain in them. Despite his murderous nature, he was still worth saving. Everypony was worth saving.

She freed him from her magical grip. “You’re right. I don’t have it in me. But that doesn’t make me weak.”

The assassin shot her a smirk. “That really what you want your last words to be?”

Twilight’s heart sank, and before she could react, he disappeared and rammed into her. The impact launched her into a pile of scrap metal, and she let out a loud scream as the metal struck the back of her head and her spine. She would’ve been dead right then and there if it wasn’t for her heightened magical state, and even with it, it was too painful for her to return to her feet.

The assassin began to stumble away. As he fled the landfill, he gave Twilight one final grin. “You think this is over? That some empty speech will change things? I’ll kill your precious Princess Celestia in her sleep. Then we can start talking about being hurt.”

Twilight tried to grab hold of him magically, but her heightened state was beginning to slip away. She returned to her original, fatigued self, too weak to stop the assassin from disappearing into the darkness in the distance.

Twilight hung her head in defeat and turned to Sunset, who was glaring at her. When enough of the pain subsided, Twilight picked herself up and helped her friend up as well.

“No, you are weak,” Sunset said. “Just what I’d expect from such a pampered pony.”

Twilight erupted with anger. “That’s enough. It is not my fault that I was born with this power. I understand that you and your ex’s upbringing has altered your morals--”

“No, you don’t understand! How could somepony like you ever understand? Please, spare me your empty moral code. Talk to me after you’ve gone a week without food, a week without sleep, with nowhere to sleep, and with no hope for the future at all. Then, maybe then, I’ll respect your so-called morals.”

Twilight shot her a scowl. “What happened to you wasn’t fair, Sunset. And it wasn’t your fault. But that doesn’t mean you have to keep letting it hurt you.”

“Letting it hurt me? After this is all done, I have to go to jail! And if I don’t, then I’m back with my mom, which is even worse. Do you know what she did to me? What my entire damn town does to ponies like me?”

“No, I don’t. So, please, just tell me already.”

Sunset began to shake with anger from the memories. “Whenever I’d bring up anything about myself--my dreams, my goals, the type of pony I wanted to be--she’d make sure to mock all of it. She’d remind me every single day how I was garbage, and how I’d always be garbage, no matter how hard I tried. Because I wasn’t special like other ponies. Ponies like you. My entire town swallows up any hope ponies have until there’s none left. Everypony mocks you and insults you if you show any sort of ambition, all so you end up bitter and resentful like them. My mom used to be like me when she was young, until she failed and gave up. Just the thought of me succeeding drives my mom insane.”

Twilight’s scowl melted away into a frown. “I see.”

“I was ready to do anything to prove my mom wrong; murder was the least of it. And I was on track to do just that until you showed up. But now, it’s all just a dream. My mom was right, about everything.”

“But isn’t getting into Princess Celestia’s school enough to prove her wrong? She can never take that away from you.”

Sunset hung her head. “I cheated to get in. I redid the test later on my own once I was strong enough to prove to myself that I was capable of doing it. But the original time--the only one that counts--was a lie.”

Twilight hung her head as well and began to caress her friend, only for Sunset to push her hoof away. “It doesn’t help, Twilight, because a hug doesn’t change reality. I’ve always had to prove myself, and I failed. But you know what the worst part of all this is?”

Twilight shook her head.

“That you could’ve been the best friend I ever made. You’re everything I always needed in a friend, but of course, I messed that one up so bad.” Sunset let out a sigh. “In another lifetime, I guess.”

With a warm smile, Twilight began to caress her friend again. “It doesn’t have to be another lifetime.”

Sunset couldn’t help but grow a smile of her own, and the two of them hugged.

“I’ll never be able to understand what you went through,” Twilight said. “But your life isn’t over yet. Your past doesn’t have to be your future, and you’re the one who has taught me that lesson.”

Sunset raised an eyebrow. “What makes you say that?”

“Well, my biggest fear was that I’d never be able to make a friend. But after meeting you, that fear is no more.”

Sunset’s cheeks tinted a rosy pink, and she turned away in an attempt to hide her blush. “Sorry that I had to be your first friend. I actually feel bad for you.” She let out a laugh.

“We’ll work on your friendship qualities later. First, let’s stop your ex. Given his injuries, he couldn’t have gotten far.”

“Not like we’re in any condition to get far either.”

Twilight tapped her chin as she began to think of a plan. And then, the perfect one struck her, causing her to smile.

……………………………………………….

An hour had passed since the battle in the landfill, and Twilight and Sunset were making their way through the dark tunnels beneath Canterlot Mountain. Twilight led the way, using her horn to illuminate the shadowy labyrinth.

“And you’re sure that these tunnels lead to the castle?” Sunset said, following close behind her friend.

“I am.” Twilight constantly scanned the tunnel, on the lookout for the creatures that had attacked her in the dungeons. “I’ve researched these tunnels extensively. These were once used to flee from invaders attacking the castle, but it seems nopony has used them in ages.”

Sunset rolled their eyes. “Gee, I wonder why. Who wouldn’t want to get eaten by flesh-eating creatures?” That was when she remembered how she trapped Twilight in the dungeons to get eaten by those creatures. She hung her head, drowning in regret.

Twilight playfully bumped into her friend and gave her a warm smile. “Hey, the past is just that between us. The past. Besides, I’m no less guilty. Do you know why I researched these tunnels in the first place?”

Sunset shook her head.

Twilight began to laugh nervously. “I sort of… wanted to… planned to trap you here forever.”

She waited for Sunset to lash out in anger, but to her surprise, her friend began to laugh. Twilight began to laugh as well.

Sunset playfully punched her friend in the shoulder. “Like you said, it’s in the past. No use living in it any longer, right?”

With a smile, Twilight nodded and continued walking forward. “Now then, this path should lead us right into the castle before your ex can sneak into it, assuming he doesn’t know another shortcut. Based on the maps I saw, this tunnel system should lead us a few floors below the throne room, meaning it’ll only be a five minute run at most to get to Princess Celestia.”

“Assuming the guards don’t catch us, that is.”

Twilight shot her a smirk. “After fighting your ex, I’m not too worried about them.” A momentary silence lasted until she spoke up again. “In the meantime, until we’re at the palace, I actually have a question to ask you.”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

Twilight began to blush. “You wouldn’t mind telling me why you two broke up, right?”

Sunset shot her a suspecting glare.

“What? I’m just curious why he’s so angry. That’s all.”

Sunset rolled her eyes. “You’re such a typical dork, Twi. A guy finally calls you cute, and you start having a thing for him. If you must know, we dated for about a year, and he’s actually not a bad guy. The entire time we dated, he was saving up to free himself from some bad ponies he owed money to.”

“Gambling?”

“Slavery. His parents sold him off when he was born. His captors were going to kill him off because they thought they couldn’t use him for anything, and so he made a deal with them. He’d act as their assassin. Once he showed his worth, they told him that he could buy his freedom with enough bits, and so that’s been his goal ever since.”

“Must be a lot of money if he still hasn’t acquired it yet.”

Sunset began to laugh nervously. “I sorta stole it when he had enough, actually. I used it to pay for lessons to help get into Celestia’s school, and to pay for the entrance exam fee. That’s why we broke up.”

Twilight shot her friend a glare and shook her head at her.

“Yeah, I know… I really have been terrible, haven’t I? The worst part is that I can never take what I did back. Feeling sorry about what I did won’t reverse it.”

“I agree. I won’t.” Twilight began to tap her chin. “Only action will. And no, not killing him. There has to be a way where we can help him and save Princess Celestia at the same time.”

Sunset began to ponder as well. “I do have an idea. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

Twilight nodded, and the two fillies fistbumped. “You know it!”