8. In the Shadows
“Nobody make any plans for tomorrow night!” Pinkie said as she ran up to the park table where the rest of the Spectacular Seven were already gathered. “Because you’re all invited to my ‘Congratulations on Getting into College’ party at Sugarcube Corner!”
The girls cheered, and Sunset politely clapped in approval. That’s all it had been the past twenty-four hours: texts and snapshots of acceptance letters and plans and hopes. Sunset played her part and cheered for all of her friends with sincerity, ignoring the tightening vice around her heart.
They’re all going to leave. Even Trixie’s going to move out eventually. She had run these thoughts in her head ever since the year began, but now that time drew horridly short, and her friends stood at the crossroads of their futures, the fact was an overbearing monster that wedged its way into Sunset’s every thought. What was she going to do without the comfort of her friends? She had spent so long climbing out of that deep pit she had dug herself into, gotten so used to leaning on their shoulders…. Where did she go next?
All of the confusion and panic lay buried beneath her encouraging and optimistic smile. Her friends were happy. That was all that mattered. Pinkie was going to culinary school and even considering taking some business classes so she could start her own catering company. Fluttershy was off to become a veterinarian while Rainbow had gotten an offer from a few schools for her athletic abilities. Rarity had been accepted to a fashion institute in New York that Prim Hemline had graduated from, as Rarity would happily remind everyone. Applejack was the only one not leaving the city, as she was perfectly content to just take a few classes at the local university while she continued her work on the farm.
At least I’ll have one friend still here.
“This is all so wonderful!” Rarity said. “It seems like just yesterday we were freshmen. Now here we are, about to take our first steps into the real world!”
“Just think of how much fun we’re all going to have!” Pinkie said, bouncing on the bench seat. “College parties!”
“College football games!” Rainbow said, punching a fist in the air.
“Academic libraries,” Twilight said dreamily.
“Ah reckon we’ll all have a lot of stories to tell,” Applejack said.
There was a slight lull in the conversation before Fluttershy quietly asked, “Do you think we’ll… still keep in touch with everything going on?”
“Of course we will,” Pinkie said automatically. “We’re best friends! We’ll text and voice chat and meet up every vacation.” She narrowed her eyes. “Or else.”
Applejack chuckled. “Can’t argue against Pinkie’s famous ‘or else.’ And she’s right. Sure, it won’t be the same, but we’ll all keep in touch. It’d be a crime if we didn’t after what we’ve been through together.”
Sunset wanted to believe that. But she had seen close friendships end over dumber things than time and distance. They might keep up contact for the first few months, but after that…
But they are the Elements of Harmony. Maybe they can beat the odds. It was small, but it was hope enough for Sunset to cling to. The girls talked for an hour more with Rainbow finally asking the question Sunset knew would come.
“So, what are you gonna do next year?”
Sunset nonchalantly shrugged. “Oh, you know. I’ll just be hanging out. Work with the Lulamoons. Maybe I’ll ride around the country on my motorcycle.”
Twilight tried to give her a look of confidence, but it came out closer to pity. “That could be fun. I know a lot of students like to backpack around Europe after they’re done with school.”
“See? I haven’t seen that much of this world. Exploring could be good for me. You know, as long as I never have to show my I.D. to anyone.” Sunset took her phone out of her pocket and checked the time. “I should go. The Lulamoons should be back soon and I want to be there when they come home.”
The girls bade her farewell, and Sunset made her way home. She brought in the mail, finding two college letters for Trixie. What would she even study? She tidied up the house, not that there had been much of a mess to begin with, and watched T.V with Spot on the couch.
The front door opened and Sunset heard Artemis shout, “The Lulamoons have returned! Please, hold your applause.”
And, I miss the quiet. Sunset got up and greeted them in the other room, all three of them wearing star-shaped sunglasses. “You look like you had a good time.”
“Of course we did!” Artemis pulled Sunset into a one-armed hug while he gestured wildly with his other hand. “The lights! The food! The white tigers! It was all stupendous! We wish you had been there!”
“Trixie did get you a souvenir cup though.” Trixie reached into her bag and pulled out a white novelty cup with palm trees that lit up.
“And I got a new wand!” Artemis pulled a wand from his sleeve and twirled it in his fingers. “I suppose I was due for a new one anyway. This one’s a little more flexible too, so it should be a bit more durable.” He stepped back with a flourish and tapped the top of Sunset’s head. “Lulamoon!”
Sunset felt something wet trickle down her scalp, but when she reached up for a feel, her hair was dry. Pulling a handful around for a look, she saw it was blue and gold instead of red. “Change it back.”
“Glad to see your sense of humor is as robust as ever! Lulamoon!”
Before her eyes, the blue slid out of her hair, replaced by its natural crimson. “Glad to see we still haven’t established personal boundaries.”
Like he hadn’t heard a word she said, Artemis wrapped an arm around Sunset again. “So! Tell us all about your mountain adventure! I’m sure it must be quite the yarn spinner!”
Sunset rolled her eyes. “Well, Moondancer took us there in her stupid private helicopter—”
“A high-flying beginning!”
“—we stayed in a fancy cabin and went snowboarding—”
“A flurry of excitement!”
“—got chased by a bear—”
“Full of pulse-pounding thrills!”
“—and Rainbow broke her shoulder—”
“And tragic spills!”
“—then Fluttershy somehow magically healed it.”
“But with a heartwarming ending!” Artemis frowned. “Wait, what now?”
Sunset ducked out from Artemis’ hold. “Yeah, we don’t know either. Fluttershy went to visit Rainbow when we got home, ponied up without music, and healed Rainbow’s broken bone.”
“Hmm…” Artemis tapped his wand against his chin, turning it various colors. “That’s quite the phenomenon. Perhaps your grandstanding at your showdown with the Sirens triggered something? It’s hard to say; yours is a different type of magic from what I’m familiar with.” He mumble a few things under his breath, unaware his chin was currently green.
“We also ran into a wolf spirit on the mountain.”
Artemis looked up and broke into a grin. “You’re just a supernatural magnet, aren’t you? And what did the spirit want?”
Sunset shrugged. “Not sure. The people living there said it comes to warn you when something bad is about to happen. It showed up, and then the next day, Rainbow broke her arm. But… it looked right at me though. Like it was trying to tell me something else.”
He nodded sagely and walked into the kitchen. “If I’ve learned anything it’s to never ignore advice from a spirit. But, don’t let its warning consume you, otherwise you’ll just end up paranoid. Whatever will happen will happen.” He looked back at Sunset. “But I know you’re tough enough to face anything life throws at you.”
Sunset’s cheeks burned, and she looked away as she smiled.
Trixie followed them and spotted the mail on the counter. “My letters are here!” She leapt across the kitchen and snatched the mail up. “And now, for the moment of Trixie’s greatest triumph yet!”
“Fingers crossed,” Sunset said. Hey, if she doesn’t get in, that means we get to hang out together... I must be pretty desperate if I’m willing to spend the next two years with Trixie. Not that Sunset wanted Trixie to fail, but if anyone in her friend group had the least likely chance to get accepted—
“Eeeeeeeeeeee!” Trixie jumped up and down and waved her arms like a desperate bird. “I got into Everton! I got into Everton!” She stopped and cleared her throat, holding a hand to her chest. “I mean, they would be foolish not to recognize Trixie’s natural intellectual gift. Good for them.”
Selena wrapped Trixie into a powerful hug, raining kisses on her forehead. “I’m so proud of you!”
“Haha!” Artemis set off mini fireworks from his wand. “That’s my girl! First stop, college, next stop, the world!”
Sunset smiled and gave Trixie a thumbs up. “Congrats, Trix. Pinkie’s having a party tomorrow night for everyone.”
“Trixie supposes she could make a guest appearance,” she said in her boastful tone, a smile stretching from ear to ear.
With one last roll of her eyes, Sunset quietly slipped upstairs to her room. She left the door open. Closing it would make it seem like something was wrong, and give Princess Twilight an excuse to talk to her. She laid on her bed and looked at the decorative multicolored lights hanging from her wall.
Friendship isn’t easy… but it’s worth fighting for. Sunset recalled her own words from the Winter Ball. This wasn’t a fight to be had though. Time would move forward and her friends would move on. She just had to accept that. Then what was the point of all this if it’s just going to all go away?
Would you rather have been lonely the entire time? A squeaky voice in her head asked.
Get out of my thoughts!
I am your thoughts!
“Sunset?”
She startled and and jerked her head, finding Selena in her doorway. “Oh, hi. I guess I didn’t hear you.”
Selena stepped in and sat on the edge of the bed. “How are you doing?”
“I’m fine.” Sunset put her hands up. “Really, I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? Because we can talk if you need to.”
“I appreciate it, but there’s really not much to talk about.” Sunset leaned against the headrest and stared at the window across from her. “So everyone’s moving on with their lives; that’s great! I’ll find a way to move on, too.”
Selena watched her for a time before standing up. “Well, either way, you’ll always have a home here. Artemis and I have really enjoyed having you. And you saved our family. That’s not a debt I’ll forget anytime soon.”
Sunset ignored the voice telling her she was the reason they had been in danger in the first place and just smiled. “Thanks.”
*******
Sunset and the Lulamoons arrived at Sugarcube Corner on Saturday just as the sun went down. The first sight to greet them inside was a large rainbow banner with ‘Congratulations!’ written across it. Several tables hosted platters of cupcakes with different frostings and sprinkles, and a bowl of blue punch sat on the center table.
“Ha! My teeth are rotting just looking at all this,” Artemis said jovially. “Moondancer!” he cried, making Sunset jump.
Moondancer looked away from Twilight and gasped, throwing her hands to her cheeks. “Uncle Arty!” She ran over and embraced him a warm hug. “It’s been too long!”
“Yes it has, little Moonflower! You know you’re welcome at our house at any time.”
Preferably when I’m not there, Sunset thought, moving away while they caught up. Pinkie hadn’t just invited their core group of friends, Sunset saw several other students and their parents. Unsurprising since Pinkie made friends with everyone, but Sunset hadn’t been expecting an actual party.
She waved to Roseluck and Vinyl having a conversation at the punch bowl, and smiled at Sandalwood in the corner. Her friends were spread out across the shop, talking and congratulating their peers. Naturally, Sunset gravitated toward Twilight, but halfway there, Amethyst Star wandered onto her path.
“Hey, Sunset! How’s your vacation going?”
“Not bad. Yours?”
Amethyst smiled. “It was pretty boring until a few days ago when all my letters came in at once. I still can’t believe I got accepted into every school I applied for! Now I’m trying to decide where to go, and get scholarships to help my parents pay for it. So, where did you get accepted into? You’ve always had the highest GPA in school, I bet you got in somewhere nice.”
Sunset felt her face twist into an awkward grimace. “Actually I, uh, well, didn’t apply anywhere this year. I decided I wanted to… find myself. You know, go exploring and see the world.”
“Hey, that sounds like fun! My parents would never let me do anything like that. I never would have expected that out of you though.”
“Yep, I’m just full of surprises!” Sunset said with an overabundance of pep. She picked up a blue cupcake and smiled at Amethyst until she moved on. When she left, Sunset stared at the pastry morosely.
“You really going to explore the world?”
Sunset glanced over her shoulder and found Flash looking sympathetic. “I don’t know. Maybe. Wandering aimlessly sounds a little better than sitting aimlessly.”
“I guess so.” Flash picked up a purple frosted cupcake and tapped it against Sunsets, mixing the frosting. “Well, maybe this’ll give you another reason to go see the world. I’m going to Canterlot University.”
“Really?” Sunset said with a snicker. She frowned. “But what about your music career?”
“Hey, it’s still my number one priority, and one reason I’m not leaving town. But…” he sighed with his whole body. “I know not everyone makes it in that business. So, it’d be a good idea to have a back-up plan. Maybe I’ll get a degree in electrical engineering.”
Sunset nodded in understanding. “And… what about you and Rarity?”
Flash stared at the swirls of his cupcake. “Umm… we haven’t had that conversation yet. I think I’m still climbing an uphill slope from the Battle of the Bands.” He flinched at his own words. “What about you and Twilight?”
“We haven’t had that conversation either.” She took a small bite and chewed slowly. “I’m not even sure what I’d say to her.”
“I know. Long distance relationships aren’t easy, but I know they can work.” Flash looked over at Rarity engrossed in a discussion with Rainbow and Amethyst. “Good luck to both of us.”
Sunset gave him a gentle punch on the shoulder. “Yeah, good luck.” She resumed her walk toward Twilight, only to see her talking to Micro Chip, a giant smile plastered on her face. Sunset’s heart sank, and she found an empty table to sit down at while she finished her cupcake.
Applejack slid into the seat across from her. “You okay, Sugarcube?”
“Yeah.” Sunset waved a hand. “I’m fine.”
Applejack raised an eyebrow.
“Don’t give me that look,” Sunset grumbled. But Applejack persisted with her hard stare. “What do you want me to say?”
“Ah want you to tell me how you honestly feel about all this. Ah can see something is eatin’ at ya, and Ah have a pretty good feeling Ah know what it is.”
Sunset folded her arms on the table and rested her head against them. “So maybe I’m a little sad you’re all moving away. It’s not a big deal. I’ll get over it. You all deserve to move on and have futures.”
Applejack put a hand on Sunset’s elbow. “Ain’t no reason to be ashamed you feel sad, Sunset. Ah’m sad too. Ah’m gonna miss all you girls when we move on. It’s natural. What’s important is makin’ the most of the time we have left. It’s not as good as the real thing, but havin’ good memories helps when the distance feels too great.”
“I know. It’s just…” Sunset let the words die and lifted her head. “You’re right. I should stop moping and just enjoy the time we have left.”
“That’s the spirit.” Applejack stood and pointed to Twilight. “Go on now, Ah’ve seen you lookin’ at her like a lovesick puppy.”
Sunset stuck her tongue out as Applejack laughed and walked away. She looked at Twilight and squared her shoulders. Just enjoy what time you have left.
*******
Lamia stared absently at the tower, still amazed and annoyed it even existed. Eccentric freaks. The lights in the house were all off, the Lulamoons having left ten minutes ago.
She had been watching the house for several days, when it had been empty half the time. But Lamia had waited on Moondancer’s insistence that Artemis was a wild card. He could have showed up any second.
“It’s better to know for certainty where everyone is, is it not?”
Though she hated conceding a point to the spoiled princess, Lamia knew Moondancer was right. As much as she wanted to go down there, rob the Lulamoons blind, and give the little Sunset a kick in the ass, she waited patiently.
Her watch blinked green and she rose from her rooftop perch. “Showtime, Jorgey.” She jumped to the next roof, closing her distance to the target.
With her usual elegance, she landed in the backyard, avoiding the well kept flower bush. Ten bucks says the study is in that stupid tower. She looked up to the single window decorating it. “Let’s hope there’s not some magical disintegration spell on it,” she whispered to Jörmangandr coiled around her shoulders. He hissed and she nodded her head. “You’re right, let’s take the inside, just to be safe.”
Lamia opened her satchel and pulled out her short-range EMP. She flipped the switch and waited a few seconds before putting the box away and walking up to the back door, taking out her lock pick from her utility belt. In a matter of seconds, she pulled the door open and stepped inside, glad to hear the sweet sound of silence.
It broke after a few steps into the kitchen. A small dog came running at her, barking and trying his best to be intimidating. Lamia swooped down and pinched the side of his neck. The dog instantly fell over, his eyes drooping shut.
“Good night, puppy.”
“Hissss.”
“No, you can’t eat him.”
She paused when she entered the living room, staring at the abhorrent amount of pictures and tapestries coating the walls, all of them depicting tender family moments or scenic gatherings. The warm feeling emitting from the show of familial love nauseated Lamia. She hurried up the stairs and located the door to the study.
“What do you think, Jorgey?” Lamia asked, examining the closed door. “Booby trapped?”
“Hissssss.”
“I know. I hate magic too.” Lamia took out a set of pliers and a nail file. She held the file with the pliers and scooted closer to the door, giving it a series of pokes. “Well, it’s not bursting into flames.” Sweat gathering on her brow, Lamia reached for the knob, giving it a slow turn. She jumped back as it creaked open, arms raised in self-defense. When nothing assaulted her, magical or otherwise, she pushed the door open with her foot and poked her head inside.
It looked like something a kooky old man would have. Shelves filled with books and odd looking baubles and doodads. A ship-in-a-bottle sat on the large desk, its main mast lying on its side. Lamia took her time slinking across the room, constantly surveying anything that looked like it might come to life or screech like an alarm.
Keeping her body low, Lamia snuck behind the desk and looked at the bottom of the back shelf. There sat the silver chest, shining even in the dark. She reached into the neck of her body suit and pulled out the key Moondancer had given her, silver with a handle shaped like a crescent moon.
“The chest is magically sealed. Even with your talents, you’d be hard pressed to break in. This is your golden ticket.”
“And how did you come across this?”
“... My mother gave it to me.”
Lamia inserted it into the lock and gave it a turn. With a click, the lid snapped open, and Lamia pulled it up, beholding the contents. It looked like an assortment of random junk. There was an old black notebook, a hand mirror, broken ruby shards…
She sifted through the box until she reached the bottom, her fingers brushing against something cold and metallic. She scooped it up and brought to eye level. It’s dark coloring made it hard to define in the shadows, but the brilliant gem in its center and the feel of engraved wings on the side gave Lamia no room for doubt.
“Well, you fit the bill. Time to scoot.” She pocketed her prize and closed the chest, taking the key with her. As she stood up, the sound of a sword being unsheathed came from the door. Lamia swore and bowed her head. “How the hell did you know?”
“You think we would leave this room without some security?” Selena said, stepping inside. “Artemis knows whenever someone enters.”
“And he sent you to deal with me? That’s cute.” Lamia turned around, seeing Selena’s sword pointed at her.
“My turn to ask a question. How did you open the chest and what did you take?”
Lamia tsked and wagged a finger. “That’s two questions. I’m afraid that’s grounds for disqualification.” She rolled to the side, popping up and side-stepping Selena’s first swing. Lamia struck out with her palm, and Selena braced it with her shoulder before swinging again. Lamia ducked in time, but felt the wind swish over her head.
I can’t fight her like this. She has a long reach in a short space. Lamia kicked at Selena’s shins, getting her to drop to one knee. Selena made a forward stab, but Lamia jumped to the side again, lining herself up with the window. She turned and threw herself through it, shattering the glass and ripping through the screening. She hit the grass with a roll, letting out a curse as the impact still sent a violent shock through her body.
Looking back at the window, she saw Selena glaring down at her. Lamia lifted her middle finger and broke into a run. She was almost glad Selena had caught her in the act. It made victory all the sweeter.
*******
Sunset held the pan while Trixie swept up the broken glass that had fallen inside the study. Sunset sucked on her teeth all the while, wondering where Lamia had gone and why she had wanted to break into the Lulamoon house anyway.
Artemis closed the chest and sighed. “Well, this is a fine pickle.” He stored it away and sat down in his armchair, tapping a finger against the desk.
“What did they take?” Trixie asked.
“That’s the pickle. I’m not sure. Everything I remember putting in there is still there. But we’ve used that chest for a number of things over the years. If this Lamia character did make off with something, I’m wondering how dangerous it actually was.”
“It was in the off-limits trunk,” Selena said testily. “Of course it’s dangerous to some degree.”
Artemis rested his cheek in his hand and let out a huff. “I still can’t believe this Lamia is the human version of you, Sunset. You’re bright, brave, and fun, and she’s… a thief. I’d find it hysterical if we hadn’t just been robbed.”
Sunset said the pan down and made an uncomfortable laugh. “Yeah, funny how things work like that.”
Trixie crossed her arms and made a huff similar to her father’s. “Trixie wants to know how she even got inside. The chest is enchanted; only the right key can unlock it, and father only made two.”
“I’m guessing you have one,” Sunset said. “Who has the other?”
Artemis steepled his fingers together, a forlorn light in his eyes that aged him greatly. “Apalla had it. And it was buried with her.”
“Oh.” Sunset bit her tongue. She let the silence hold out a little longer before speaking again. “So, what do we now?”
“Unfortunately, there isn’t much we can do right now,” Artemis said with a sigh. “Unless we know what she actually took. And involving the police would become a messy business with doppelgangers and magical artifacts involved. For now, we keep an ear to the ground.”
Sunset shoved her hands in her pockets. She had half a mind to go find Lamia and take back whatever had been stolen. And give her a good kick for stunning Spot. But odds were, she was no longer hiding out in the factory. And unless Sunset could get her good magic to flare up, Lamia would beat her in a fight.
Artemis motioned to the broken window. “Trixie, be a dear and fix that for me, please.”
“Watch and be amazed!” Trixie cried, brandishing her wand. She pointed it at the collected glass shards. “Lulamoon!” They sprung out of the pan and fit together back inside the pane. However, while they stuck together, the cracks remained, giving it stained glass effect without the color.
“I-I can do it better!” Trixie said, preparing her wand again.
“Actually, I think I like it like that,” Selena said.
“Really?”
“Agreed,” Artemis said. He flicked his wand at it, turning it blue. “See? Perfect.”
*******
“And that, class, sums up our review of the history of the now outdated String Theory.” Twilight set the piece of chalk down and dusted her hands off. She turned to the rows of chairs rising up in front of her. Her audience of Smartypants dolls clapped in admiration with a few of them still writing down her detailed and well-organized lesson. She took a bow and adjusted her glasses. “Any questions?”
“Professor Sparkle!” One of her students thrust his hand in the air. “As the founder and leading mind of all things magi-tech, what are your opinions about the potential for perpetual energy?”
“An excellent question,” Twilight said to the reporter. “Once we find the source of unicorn magic, I believe we can eliminate the need for any fossil fueled devices and create sustainable living for all!” She basked in the applause of the press and stepped away from the podium, ducking behind a curtain.
“That was brilliant, Sparky!”
A pair of strong, comforting arms wrapped around Twilight from behind, and soft lips kissed her cheek. Twilight melted into the embrace, resting her head beneath Sunset’s chin. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
Sunset playfully rolled her eyes. “Please. You would have done just fine. I’m glad I could share this with you though.
Twilight twirled around and faced Sunset, slipping a hand under her shirt. “I love you.” She pushed herself up on her toes.
Sunset stooped down. “I love you, too.”
Twilight bolted up from her desk with a loud snort. Half her vision had gone white with blue lines and black veins weaving throughout it. There was also something wet on the side of her mouth. She reached up and pulled off a piece of paper, taking a thin line of drool with it.
Checking her clock, she saw it was 9:32 P.M. Pinkie’s party must have taken more out of me than I thought. She wiped the drool from her lips, remembering how close she had come to kissing dream Sunset. Her stomach fluttered. She had used those three legendary words again. Sunset had spent several nights running through Twilight’s dreams. Logical, given their relationship. But lately, things were different in the sleeping world. Her dream self had more courage than her, daring to speak out about the innermost workings of her heart.
Twilight had tried in the waking world, but something always stopped her, usually herself. Three little words carried a lot of weight. What if Sunset didn’t say it back? What if Twilight didn’t actually mean it? ‘Love’ was thrown around so carelessly by teenagers. Twilight wanted it to mean something when she said it. Did she even… L word Sunset? She was in love with her, and Cadence said there was a difference. How did she know when the transition happened?
More than that, what did they do afterward? Twilight was moving on to college, Sunset was… not. What was the point in saying that word when they were just going to say goodbye later? Could they handle a long-distance relationship? Even if they could, what if Sunset went back to Equestria? Twilight’s empty stomach roiled at the notion. Being a city or state away was one thing. Different worlds? And worlds where time didn’t align with each other.
Like a quick cut, the idea that Sunset was at least half a decade older than she looked sliced through Twilight’s thoughts. She pressed a hand to her head, trying to push it out. Age is just a number. And she looks eighteen. On top of everything else facing them, Sunset’s age was the least of Twilight’s concerns.
She reached for her phone. In situations like this, she knew there was only one person to turn to. Just as Twilight got to her contacts screen, a knock came from her door.
“Twilight,” a melodic voice sang, “special dumpling delivery!”
Twilight stared at her phone, then looked to the door. There’s no way this is a coincidence. She got up and pulled the door open, finding Cadence waving a bag of Chinese take-out.
“Are you secretly psychic? Or do you just know when I have a relationship problem?”
Cadence waltzed in and sat on Twilight’s bed, taking time to scratch Spike on his stomach. “Nope! I guess I’m just in the right place at the right time.” She set the food on the bedside table and gave Twilight a more serious look. “But, if you have a problem, you know I’m all ears.”
Twilight closed the door and sat down next to her. “It’s not a problem per se… or maybe it is?” She wrung her hands. “Sunset is… but I’m going to…” She pulled her hands apart and took a deep breath. Just start at the root of the problem. “Cadence… when did you know you loved Shining?”
Cadence’s eyes widened and sparkled. “Ah, I see.” She let out a dreamy giggle. “Well, Shiny and I had been going out for a few months. It was winter, and there was a flu bug going around. I got it and was home sick from school.” She giggled again. “So after school, Shining trudged through the snow and brought me a container of soup he made himself. He even spoon fed it to me in bed.”
“That sounds romantic.”
“Not as romantic as you’d think. I was a sniffling, coughing, nauseated mess.” She leaned in to Twilight. “And between us, your brother isn’t the best cook. I played it off that I didn’t have my appetite back, but the soup he made was terrible.” They shared a short laugh, leaning on each other’s shoulders.
“But, as I was lying there, listening to him talk and realizing what he had done for me, it just sort of clicked. I didn’t know yet if he would be the one, but I knew I loved him, and wanted to make an effort to make him the one.” She rested her chin in her palm and wiggled her eyebrows. “Now, tell me about you and Sunset. I saw you two cuddled on the couch during our vacation.”
Twilight turned her face to hide her red cheeks. “I mean… we’ve only been together a few months. We haven’t even know each other for a whole year. And there’s so many things that make us different from each other. But every time I close my eyes, I see her. And I just feel so great every time we’re together, even when she’s being all Sunset. But I don’t know if that’s love or just teenage hormones!” Twilight grabbed her pillow and buried her face in it. “Cadence, tell me how to feel!”
Cadence rubbed a hand on her back. “Ladybug, I can’t tell you how to feel or who to feel it toward. Maybe it’s love, maybe it’s just infatuation. You have to decide that. It’s hard sometimes, but you just have to trust your heart. And if you make a mistake along the way, it’s not the end of the world.”
Twilight lifted her eyes but kept her mouth buried in the pillow. “Maybe I need to collect data.”
“Twily, love isn’t a science experiment. You can’t measure it. Heck, we can barely define it.” She ran a hand through Twilight’s hair. “Maybe you’ll have some eureka moment about your feelings for Sunset. Or maybe they’ll just creep up on you when you least expect it. Or maybe, you already know the answer.”
“Mmph.” Maybe love couldn’t be quantified or controlled, but she could at least match her feelings up to other people. She needed to be absolutely sure about this feeling before she went and told Sunset.
Cadence pecked her on the cheek. “Come on now, Ladybug, don’t make me eat all these dumplings by myself. I can’t afford to get fat before my wedding.”
*******
“You’re late.”
Lamia hadn’t even finished climbing onto the balcony before she heard Moondancer’s overly sweet voice. She pulled herself over and glared at the richly dressed girl through the slits in her mask. “So sorry, your highness. The traffic here was just unbelievable.”
Moondancer sat at a balcony table, a cup of tea in her hands. “Sarcasm. The uncultured and desperate response plebeians give when they don’t have an intellectual answer.”
“Do you want this thing or not?”
Moondancer held her hand out. “I expect to receive it regardless. I simply hope you’ll hand it to me instead of me forcing it from you.”
The urge to punt her off the balcony and into the garden burned strong, but Lamia knew better than to pick a direct fight. She reached into her satchel and tossed Moondancer her trinket and the key. “Now, my payment?”
“Yes, don’t worry,” Moondancer said with a lazy wave of her hand, using her other to put her key away in her blouse. “Your money will be transferred to whatever offshore account you have.”
Lamia stroked a hissing Jörmangandr. “It’d better. Or else.”
“Please, don’t waste your breath. You’re hardly in a position to make threats.” Moondancer looked up. “But, I’m a lady of my word. You will get your money.”
“Hmph.” In a position like hers, Lamia knew there wasn’t much to do but hope Moondancer indeed kept her word. “So what now? Am I dismissed or—”
A chill crawled down her spine. In front of the balcony door, the shadows shifted and rose up, blacker than the night. It formed into an archway, inky darkness spilling out of it along with a cold wind. From the depths emerged a tall, lean woman wearing a black suit that hugged her body. A large coat, the color of a coming storm, sat draped over her shoulders, hiding her arms. A rose-colored mohawk complimented her dark purple skin. She carried herself out of the black gateway with calm superiority, keeping her chin up the entire time.
Lamia recognized her. And when the woman’s blue eyes locked onto her, she knew the familiarity was reciprocated. She turned, ready to jump off the balcony, but a cold and oily hand, wrapped around her neck and slammed her against the hard tile before flipping her over to look at the evening sky. She lowered her eyes to find a pulsing black arm stretching away from her neck and into the coat of her captor.
“I don’t believe in luck,” the woman said cooly, closing the distance to Lamia, “but this is a serendipitous occasion.”
“H-hey there, Tempest,” Lamia smiled weakly, trying to get her hands around the shadowy arm strangling her. It was tangible oddly enough, but the sensation burned like battery acid. “Long time, no see. This arm thing is new.”
Jörmangandr lunged, fangs bared at Tempest. Just as when he had attacked Moondancer, a sinister glow enveloped his body, pausing him in midair.
Tempest looked down at her, her face impossible to read, though with the scar over her right eye, she always looked perturbed. “Taking help from a thief? I thought you were better than that, Moondancer.”
Moondancer carefully and quietly slipped her prize down her large sleeve. “I’m doing what you asked. I’m gathering information on the Spectacular Seven ‘by any means necessary.’” Her eyes flickered to Lamia, delivering a hard look that she quickly understood.
Tempest snorted, her grip around Lamia’s throat tightening. “So you resorted to common filth. Then again, I suppose you’re not so common anymore.”
“One uses any and all resources available.” Moondancer knit her brows. “But, pray tell, how do you know the Snake Queen?”
“She had the nerve to steal from me,” Tempest said with a dangerous edge.
“It was nothing personal, I just saw a good—” The pressure tightened, cutting off the rest of Lamia’s airflow.
Tempest looked up at Jörmangandr. “I’m surprised you didn’t sell him like you black market thieves commonly do.” Her grip loosened just enough for Lamia to talk again.
“It crossed my mind. But he’s so adorable. And a great partner. See? He found a loving home. Aren’t you glad I helped you rescue him?”
“And then stole him from me.”
“The details get murky at some point—ack!” Her air passage was forced closed again.
“Well, since you were kind enough to bring him back, I’ll just keep him for now.” Tempest snapped her fingers, and Jörmangandr vanished in a wink. “Now, what am I going to do with you…” She leaned closer. “Sunset Shimmer?”
Moondancer spat out her tea and pounded a hand against her chest. “I beg your pardon?”
Tempest slid a normal hand from her other sleeve and pulled off Lamia’s mask, revealing her pixie cut red and gold hair.
“I… but… that’s… how?” Moondancer’s head fell to one side. “I find myself lost beyond words.”
“Perhaps if you had done what I asked, this wouldn’t have caught you so off-guard,” Tempest said coldly.
“Information gathering takes time,” Moondancer said with equal chill.
Tempest turned her eyes back to Lamia, dismissing Moondancer. “You’re helping Moondancer, hm?”
Lamia frantically nodded her head, her lungs begging for just a scrap of air.
“Hmph.” Tempest reached into her collar and withdrew a golden medallion. It was triangular in shape, though it didn’t have a top point. Odd runes were engraved in its center, seeming to move and undulate in the darkness.
Something deeper than fear burbled to life in the pit of Lamia’s stomach. It quickly spread through the rest of her body, leaving her paralyzed. She didn’t know what this medallion was, but she wanted it far away from her. But Tempest held it over her head, a satisfied smile crossing her lips.
“Let’s see how long my ‘information gathering’ takes.” She dropped the medallion a little lower and removed her shadow arm from around Lamia’s throat.
Despite her new freedom, Lamia could still hardly breathe, let alone move. What is this? More magic? What is she doing to me? Her body trembled. She couldn’t look away from the glowing artifact. Memories forced their way to the surface of her mind. Her parents screaming at each other. Being bullied on the playground. Shoplifting from the mall. Being brought home for the first time by the police.
“Stop it,” she grunted.
Tempest’s smile widened. “What? I thought you were tough, Sunset? All these experiences made you strong.” Her voice never rose or changed pitch, but Lamia could hear the satisfaction.
Her fingers twitched under the strain of trying to move any part of her body. Lamia felt like an open book with Tempest reading every page. Cold tendrils creeped through her, down into her very soul, poking and prodding it, and making her tremble. She wanted to curl up into a ball far away from this place. She could see the looks of disappointment on her parents’ faces. Feel the punches and kicks from the ‘initiation’ test her gang members had given her. Hear their struggling yells as the cops arrested them one-by-one.
I’m all alone. I don’t have anyone left in this world. I’m going to die alone. I didn’t want this. But what did I want? Vitriol and fury began to rise up from the sorrow. Magic! Fucking magic! Her soul quivered with rage. I don’t know what she’s doing, but she needs to stop! Her anger turned into energy, and she clenched a fist, forcing her arm to rise.
“Look at that. The thief has enough will left to fight.”
Moondancer set her tea cup down with a loud enough clatter to get both Lamia and Tempest to notice. “That’s enough. You’ve proven whatever point you’re trying to make. Either take her or leave her, but stop making her writhe on my balcony. It’s uncouth.”
Tempest stared at Moondancer, long and hard. She slowly retracted the medallion and hid it within her shirt once more.
Lamia jumped to a sitting position, gasping for air. She pressed a hand onto her chest, making sure that her heart—that her soul was still there. Sweat trickled down her entire face, and her body still involuntarily shivered.
“Congratulations, Lamia,” Tempest said, “you work for me now. Help Moondancer gather information on the Spectacular Seven, and I won’t have to do that again.”
As she walked away, Lamia climbed back to her feet, staggering back. “Y-you can’t just—”
“I believe I can. Unless you want to leave your precious snake behind.” Tempest looked over her shoulder, smirking. “I expect good results.” In the same vein as her entrance, a void of darkness appeared from nothing, allowing her passage. She stepped in, and it closed around her, vanishing into the shadows of the night.
Lamia slumped back, resting against the balcony rails. “Fu—”
“Please don’t curse in my presence,” Moondancer said, pouring herself another cup of tea. “It’s vulgar and unbecoming.”
A string of foul words crossed Lamia’s mind, but she didn’t have the strength to relay them.
“So, other Sunset.” Moondancer took a deep breath. “That’s going to take some time getting used to. Since Miss Shadow galavanted off, care to share something? Because you’re clearly not the Sunset Shimmer I’m familiar with.”
Lamia turned her head, feeling her body begin to return to normal. “I’m from here. Mini me is from some other world,” she said dismissively. “Sounded like a load of bull until her friends went anthro on me.”
Moondancer slowly set her cup down, the gears visibly turning in her head. “Fascinating.” She steepled her fingers together and leaned forward.
“Why don’t you tell me more?”
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But... humans are the anthro part... I think it might be more accurate to say they went zoomorphic.
Not as fun as one might assume.
Maybe.
Ooh...
No clue. Seems to be an Absol, appears before shit goes down, but not actively malicious.
Oh my god that sounds adorable.
Of course you're here. So, why not be smart and mention that she wants to steal Twilight from you at any cost?
This is going to go so poorly.
NO! Not the doggo!
Can't help but feel that's a big fat lie.
Oh fuck me that's the Alicorn Amulet.
That's about what I expected.
You're a fool.
Ah. I knew Moondancer was hiding something.
Not bad.
Well, tell her you love her and you'll see how things go.
Eh, either or, possibly both.
Nope. Love is about as chaotic as it gets. Even if you boil it down to chemical reactions, that's only going to do so much.
I disagree. It makes for wonderful humor.
Tempest Shadow, nee Fizzlepop Berrytwist. Well well...
Oh, so not only is she a member of Organization XIII, she's Cinder from RWBY Volume 5, wonderful.
Wonder what the Storm King is in this, and who the real Big Bad is. I mean I'd be happy if it were Tempest, but Big Bads rarely do things themselves.
Removing a mask does not.
Perhaps, but it's wonderful stress relief.
Has anyone ever told you that you are an evil, evil man?
We're talking Disney Villain levels of evil here.
Aaaaaaaah Tempest Shadow Very Cool !!!!
Merci merci merci !
SO AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! Lots of great character moments from Sunset and the others dealing with them all getting ready for the next step of their lives, Sci-Twi's dreams as she figures out her feelings for Sunset, and the dive into Lamia's psyche. It's all so tense and engaging. And I loved getting to see Moondancer caught off guard by Lamia's identity. And speaking of identities, great twist with who the mystery woman is. I can't wait to see where that goes.
And whoa boy, Moondancer with THAT trinket. Given how Sunset of Time went, this will not end well. And now she's asking for all the important details from Lamia. Sunset is gonna need to be careful and master her good magic if she wants to take on Moondancer. I cannot wait for next week - I know the next chapter is going to be spectacular and that I will love it! Your writing is superb and it always draws me in and feel so much.
So... Moondancer unearthed her own buried mother and stole from her corpse. That is f
king abhorrent. She deserves whatever comes her way, and a good deal more I'd say.
Props on making this character so absolutely despicable.
Well... that got terrifying in a hurry.
Anyone else getting a Vader-ish vibe off of Tempest?
Well...Tempest was not in my predictions at all. You have my attention. You always have, but I'm incredibly curious to see how all this magic stuff goes down.
And somehow, that "making people relive memories" ability Tempest has here seems surprisingly plausible in canon, what with how Twilight knew hers in the end.
She could've just told her, but then it wouldn't have been as cool or cinematic as we got.Sooo... Tempest is basically a mix between Cinder Fall from RWBY and an Organization XIII member... This strangely fits
Suddenly I wonder about Wallflower Blush too. I mean, since Tempest Shadow is here, who knows what else is there.
8817126
With her control over magic in a world of technology, I wouldn't be surprised if she were this story's answer to a "big bad in black."
And life life plan derailment is now firmly underway. Well this is going to be a huge mess.
The snake being stolen from Tempest lends credence to the idea that he's secretly a magical snake.
The Alicorn Amulet is basically worst-case scenario. She's going to try to get out of her deal with the devil by making a deal with a different devil? Congratulations, Moondancer, you're f*cked either way.
Sunset's a smart girl; if she can just get out of her relationship slump for a minute, I'm sure she can piece together what's going on just from that ‘two keys’ info.
I refuse to believe that Cadance doesn't have some sort of empathy magic that led her to visit Twilight right then. I mean, we've already established that Sunset is a weird-magnet, right? And if I'm not mistaken, there were hints that the Crystal Heart wasn't completely out of play, yet.
On an unrelated note, I finally watched Forgotten Friendship, today. I could taste the Sciset; I'm half-convinced now that they're actually heading in that direction. Also, EQG Trixie can officially do actual magic, and is now friends with Sunset. Are they reading your story? Is Moondancer about to show up?
Tempest... wow, I was not expecting that.
"Open up your mind. See the world from where I stand: me as the most mighty, you dying in my hands."
*sigh* Between Part 1 and Part 2 we only got around a full paragraph about LamiaSunset's backstory, and she's still a better antagonist than Moondancer.
Moondancer is killing any joy I get from this story, and that hurts my heart. I cant even get to the point of disliking her anymore, and she is VERY easy to dislike. I know she is meant to be diliked, but its hard to get invested in her at all to even do that. Throughout all of S7 so far she's just been a grown up (ish) child upset someone else has her toy. We had maybe a sentence or two of actual reasoning at the start of Part 2, which is a long time to wait to give a character, especially an antogonist anu sort of depth. But where Lamia was around in bits and pieces, so her fragmented memories work a bit, Moondancer has been very prominent throughout the whole story and we still havent been given a reason to like her as an antagonist. Whenever she pops up in a chapter I have to read it punching the bridge of my nose thinking, "got to get through another one of these part again."
Moondancer is Sombra. But at least he had a backstory that gave reason to why he was feared. Moondancer just being a brat for the sake of being a brat, and that's just not entertaining.
However, I do enjoy pretty much every chapter she's not in. The writing is very good and the characters are all great. I'm just waiting for Moondancer to say her planet needs her so we can forget she was here.
8817939
I can appreciate character critique, but the 'sigh' makes you come off as incredibly condescending.
Man. Just when I thought the Alicorn Amulet was the big twist this chapter, you went and dropped Tempest Shadow on us. Did NOT see that coming.
That aside, interesting reveal. Like most here, I didn't see it coming. I do hope her boss isn't going to be represented... talk about a cliche one note. Tempest I'm okay with though. Ponified then humanized Darth Vader, I can make my peace with that. ...Though it'd be easier without the mind manipulation magic... didn't we get enough of that with the Sirens?
Hard to pity a thief, but Lamia just can't catch a break. Figures she and Sunset would have that in common. As to the next...
I reserve the right to be indifferent! ...But probably won't exercise it. Let the nervocitement flow through you... See ya next time!
8817126
Heh, yeah was thinking the same... but even in the movie, really. Injured warrior clinging to a boss far more evil than she because the world failed her... I mean her introduction is her stepping off a smoky (for some reason) ship, and demanding princesses. That's pretty much how Star Wars starts.
8818218
That was the idea. Moondancer comes off this way all the time with her dramatic mannerisims. With something as small as a four letter word, the rest of the message can be seen in a different tone, and sounds more like whining than a critique. Again, I know she was written that way intentionally.
Sorry, I shouldn't let one character bother me so much, but when everything else is so enjoyable and written so well it just makes her stick out more.
8817941
This seems less like Moondancer has a real issue with development and more like she just rubs you the wrong way. Which is fine; your personal opinion; but not exactly grounds for a critique.
8818670
Bit of both. I liked to dislike her at the start of Part 1. She was a decent foil to Sunset and her theatrics were enjoyably irritatating. I had fun thinking of her as an antagonist. I just feel that she's remained pretty stagnant to this point.
Ungulate - n. - A hoofed animal
Undulate - v. - Move with smooth, wavelike motions
Honestly, I'm not too sure what to think of this newest development. I both despise and feel sorry for Lamia at the same time. Things are going to get very dicey, aren't they?
TEMPEST!? It was Tempest who's working with Moondancer!? Holy shit, I did not see that coming at all!
You haven't disappointed me yet.
And while I don't expect Lamia to turn good, I do think Tempest and Moondancer are going to regret treating her so poorly.
8819960
Your point is taken.
Totally called it.
(not really but in hindsight it makes perfect sense so...)
8817126
Don't choke on your ambitions... Moondancer
Woah! Alright, I did not expect that, things are far more complicated than they seemed... Can't wait for the rest!
U know sunset not going to College may be a good thing. She can travel and vist all her friends at all their schools. She's free to go were ever she likes.
8817887
I see your lyrics, and shall retaliate:
Oh I like this version of Tempest and now we know now that human Sunset is what our Sunset would have turned into had she kept down the path she was on being a friendship hating brat. And Moondancer...Oh this bitch here! xD Dammit this keeps getting deeper and I LIKE IT
Dam, I was off by a couple seasons, and movie. Tempest it is! I assumed you plotted it out before the movie.
Can we give Lamia the theme of Elpizo from Mega Man Zero 2? I think it'd suit her perfectly.
. . .
You are a genius, sir.
Gotta love how magic is just a do-all universal cheatcode for everything for "villians" while the "heroes" have to struggle just to rise in strength. Nevermind age or experience here. Really plays into the speil bad guys give about the heart & friendship being weak. Oh, let's also not forget how useless any & all levels of technology are compared to magic. Computer? Just rip the info from people's minds. Sniper? Sense their presence & stop the bullet mid-air. The far greater & holier-than-thou attitude is a wonderful touch as well.
.... This isn't fair to your story, but I've seen too many of these. I'm just to a point where each chapter is nothing but paused reading & irritation. My apologies, but I think I'm done. Sorry.
Really Sunset, I'm surprised you haven't done anything at all to prepare for adulthood since you stopped being evil.
Yeah, but at the same time, none of those other friendships were literally magical.
Which reminds me, how did Sunny get her license and motorcycle registration done?
Before my wife and I got married, we went to see the Siegfried and Roy animals in the mini zoo the Mirage had. A sparrow had gotten into the enclosure and one of the Panthers caught it and started eating it to the thrilled cheers of children and the horrified objections of their parents.
At least he caught it, if not right away.
Sunset, you are desperate.
This makes me wonder if anyone actually told Moony where Sunset lives.
I can see Flash running a recording studio.
Not sure if Lamia is picking up magic by exposure, or if Lulamoons have empathy-broadcasting pictures.
Bad Selena, you should have thumped her with the sheath before she knew you were there.
Moony's mom is a lich??
Not exactly surprising, given Twi's personality in EqG.
I think I just heard Twi say, challenge accepted.
Well, this turn is unexpected. I did not expect Lamia to know the shadow lady.
Now I really wonder what the pony parents are like.
Do it, Lamia. Leave him and run far, far away.
Why not both?
Aaand apparently I'm the only one who doesn't know who Tempest is because I quit watching the show. Yippie.
9505088
Sunset admitted in the chapter where Shining finds out where she was living--back in Long Road--that all her paperwork, including school stuff and her license, were faked/forged. At least, I'm 95-plus percent sure.
Well okay then, lots of unexpecteds cropped up this chapter, holy poop.
Also really irked when 'classy' villains think cursing and stuff is vulgar, but playing grab ass with someone's brain meats is plenty refined. Like, it's as if macabre = high class to them, as if they are something out of high fantasy instead of a gnarled Freddy Krugar slasher. (I like the movie, but was illustrating a lack of 'class' vibe)
Anywho, hate boner aside for our ominous villains (good hate boner! I'm not supposed to like them!) definitely looking forward to continuing my read on this. Loving this story so much!
The Alicorn Amulet? Seriously?
Please Lamia , join your little lesbian "sister" for fight those filthy witches.
Wow, didn't see that coming with Artemis changing sunset's red to blue in her hair, still I'm shocked
And that's what counts, the memories you did get to have.
Spot no!
Good timing Selena.
Oof
Looks like Sci twi is worried about leaving sunset as well. A sigh of their love not wanting to end.
Talk about good timing.
Whatever she's planning I already know it's leading to a disaster awaiting to happen.
Should of figured this was going to happen.
Gulp well this ain't good.
Everton? That's a football college, what's she going to do there?
Yeah, otherwise she'd need to call herself Oceanside Shimmer. Could actually be useful if she ever needed a disguise though.