Equestria Girls: The Rubicon

by Jongoji245

Prometheus Unbound Part 2: Dark Glass

Author's Note:

Beware... Enemies both old and new surface in this chapter.

With the populace of Estes Park largely on an AWOL status, the hospital can focus on their patients in peace. Among them, Dapplewood rested on the clinic bed, an IV unit connected to his left arm and a nasal cannula attached to an oxygen tank. I breathe slowly in Rhythm to the heart monitor. A few rooms down rested Cogsworth, but compared to the much younger Maximal, the Predacon was on her condition. Still, in full body armor, his limbs were strapped to the bars of the bed, With the armor covering the vital organs, the best the doctors and nurses could do is attach a heart monitor patch on his exposed neck.

At the waiting room, the past battle was discussed in a rather lukewarm manner. Twilight Sparkle, Apple Bloom, and Cosgrove having disobeyed a command sat on chairs while their manager paced around the room. In light of the Dapplewood almost succumbing to valley fever a nurse prepared an injection to ease the allergy.

“How can you risk your life on an idea that wouldn't work?” Set Sunset to Apple Bloom.

“You haven't been out of danger as well” muttered the Crusader.

“Excuse me?!” - Sunset towered over Apple Bloom. Applejack prepared to be defensive, holding back until her friend got too far - “I gave you an order to just retrieve Dapplewood and come back. I could have helped Cosgrove then.”

“By then, it would be too late.” - Cosgrove rolled up his sleeve, giving the nurse approval to inject the solution into his arm - “What would I be if I was dead?”

“He’s right, Sunset dearest.” - Rarity placed her hand on Sunset's shoulder - “Thanks to them, we still have that lovely gem and we have captured that bru” - she stammers, correcting herself - “former acquaintance.”

Sunset wasn't that different for what they did. They have what they needed, but almost at the cost of their own lives. If she was only quicker, she could have helped. She kept a firm look at Apple Bloom when her older sibling stepped in.

“If it makes you any happier, Apple bloom will be grounded for the rest of the week.”

Cosgrove practice head up looking to the person who helped him. The Crusader’s bow dropped as she is led towards the exit. She exchanged a glance with him as she did before continuing her leave. The Maximal stood up and walked towards the elevator.

“Cosgrove, I'm not-” Sunset was stopped when Chelsey kept her at arm's length.

“Right now, his family needs him.” - She replied in an angry tone - “Something that hasn’t been applying to you in this war.”

Chelsey gave her equally tall friend a gentle shove before she, Zipper, Tex and Diver walked towards the exit. Now with five of her friends in a rut, Sunset pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a soft groan.

“Uhm… Sunset…” Fluttershy's cautious approach stopped when she saw Sunset's hand in the air.

“No, we're done here.” - Sunset turned to the other Rainbooms and Crusaders - “Let’s get some rest, we earned it.”

“Here, here.” Rarity agreed as they left the hospital.

Cosgrove sat next to his resting brother, watching him sleep so peacefully. Aside from the small bandage on his neck to provide a breathing orifice, there isn’t much to say regarding any wounds. Certainly, a few sessions at the hospital and the boy could return home. He took out his cell phone, scrolling it over to Apple Bloom’s caller ID photo. He stared at it while he recalled his battle with the patient next door.

“The fear in her eyes as she confronted the anger burning in you, just waiting to come out. You think that forgiving her will make her swoon over you? She fears you, Cosgrove. And from her will come her friends, family, and even yours.”

Cosgrove relaxed his eyes and powered down his cell phone. Perhaps now isn’t a good time for reconciliation. He gently lifted Dapplewood’s youthful hand, wrapping it in his own hands. He will make it up to him somehow. Perhaps there will be happier times. His moment was interrupted when he heard the door open, finding Nurse Red Heart with a small clipboard.

“Visiting hours are over, sir.” She said.

Cosgrove looked at his unconscious brother, placing the scathed Maximal charm into his hand. “Fight it...” he said before standing up and walking towards the door.

---

A day has passed and the city is still relatively empty. Though no threat has happened in the city, no further reports of abductions, Twilight was on alert as she looked at the radar from her home. Not a single energy signature within a fifty-mile radius outside the city. Ever curious, Spike trotted over to his owner's side, seeing her constantly tapping her pencil on the wooden table.

“Twilight,” - He hopped on Twilight's lap - “Why don't you take a break?”

“I can't spike, not with former Crystal Prep alumni and students about.” She lifted her glasses and rubbed her temples. She felt something on her shoulder, turning around to see her brother, Shining Armor, holding her shoulder with an encouraging smile.

“I say Spike speaks for all of us as well, Twily.” - The captain looked at the radar - “Even with some kind of jammer, we’ll know if-”

“That's it!” - Twilight hearing the mention of jamming technology rang in her head as she ran to her room - “I knew they were using something, but they never found it at the base! It's in each one of them, and I know just who to ask.”

She rushed out of the door, finding that her brother's police car is parked in front of the driveway. She turned to her family members and gave a pleading grin. The man and his dog looked at each other with a grimace before Shining took out his car keys.

---

Over at the hospital, Shock Drive and Pin Wheel walked inside, finding Nurse Red Heart sorting file after file.

“May I help you?” Red Heart asked as she placed a file into the cabinet. She kept her attention at the two parents as they walked to the counter.

“We want to see our boy.” Said Pin Wheel.

Doctor Horse took over soon after, leading them to the infirmary. The two peeked at each glass window; many of them were without a patient, one in particular, held the resting Dapplewood. One door had a pair of officers standing guard.

“In light of these recent events, I humbly suggest you take caution.” He turned to the guards and gave them a nod. The guard on their left reached out and turned the doorknob. When the two parents entered the room, the doctor closed the door. Though a little skeptical, the guards honored the decision and kept to their post. The father of the family approached the dormant child, rubbing his face ever so gently. He turned to his wife, who gave a small, dry chuckle.

Shining Armor dropped off his sibling and pet before parking the car. When he caught up to them inside, he stepped towards the reception desk.

“May I help you?” Asked Nurse Red Heart for the second time.

“Yes,” - Shining Armor displayed his badge - “we're here to visit Cogsworth.”

“I'm sorry, but he is occupied at the moment.” Red Heart responded before she continued sorting.

“Occupied?” Spike lifted his body while in Twilight's arms.

“Yes, his parents are visiting him.”

Shining Armor raised a brow, “I thought they vacated to a more remote location while the city evacuated?”

“No, sir” - the nurse turned back to them - “They have just arrived ten minutes ago.”

Twilight and Spike widened their eyes; two of the scattered populace, back here in a day? Shining Armor took out his radio.

“All units, we have a 10-33 at the Estes Park Hospital, I repeat we have a code 10-33!”

“10-4. Backup is en route.” Answered Clamp Jaw from the other side.

While the police response is swift, a lot can happen in a short span of time. As the guards listened to the radio outside, the two guests inside changed into the monstrous insects. The one that was Shock Drive destroyed the heart monitor with a swipe of its claws. The guards slammed the door open, drawing out their pistols.

“Freeze!” Shouted one of them.

In sync with the Changelings turning around, Cogsworth's eyes shot open, this time with dry blue in a black void. He broke his bonds and began to stand up. The guards and Changelings turned as the armored boy stood on the porcelain floor and drew his broken blade. On the lobby floor, gunshots were easily heard, driving the people in the building into a panic.

“Come on, move, move!” Shining directed everyone out as he could. Amidst the chatter and thunderous footsteps, Spike barked as loud as he could. The captain looked around, finding his sister lost among the crowd.

“Sunset, we have trouble at the hospital!” It took Twilight running eight flights of stairs to reach the infirmary. The guards were knocked out cold and the Changelings squealed in agony as parts of them splattered against the wall. The armored boy came out of the room, taking a deep breath as a criminal would out of a penitentiary. He looked at the Crystal Prep student, who looked confused at the different eyes. The mechanic blinked, returning his eyes to their natural purple.

“Twi… Light?” He asked in a tired tone.

Shining Armor barged into the hallway, drawing out a stun gun as he bridged himself between the two. “Cogsworth, I do not want to resort to using this...” he said in a pleading voice.

“No, of course not, not at all” - Cogsworth placed his hand over his head before groaning. He looked up again with the weird eyes - “I just want Twilight’s head on a platter.”

Shining steadied the nonlethal weapon at the charging mech. Twilight bridged herself between her brother and Cogsworth.

“Cogsworth, stop!” She pleaded.

The mechanic blinked once more, returning to his natural eyes. He stopped for a moment then blinked again, showing the weird eyes and continued his assault. The Sparkle children drew her head back as every time Cogsworth continued to blink, his persona changed with it. He knelt down, held his head and thwacked the floor with his feet. When his eyes became normal, they looked around fast and spied the gun. He got up and staggered towards them. He held the captain by the uniform.

“Help… Me!” He cried out, his left eye being the weird one.

Twilight remembered that cry. The same plea of help she made in the third match of the Friendship Games. She grabbed the taser and jabbed it between his shoulders. The red body inside the dark armor shook rapidly before collapsing on the floor. The two looked at the unconscious body as it layed there peacefully. Shining’s radio buzzed and whirred.

“Captain Armor, come in.”

Shining Armor grabbed the radio, “I read you, the situation has been contained.”

---

It didn’t take long for a small construction team to arrive and begin repairs in the room. Law officials called in a chemical team over to destroy the Changeling bodies. The two wounded guards shared a room in the infirmary, having suffered a few gashes. Cogsworth himself was moved to another facility. Strapped down to his neck against the bed, the Predacon was immobile. Sunset paced around the room, holding the journal in one hand and spinning a pencil in another. Twilight kept watch for any sign of movement, Spike letting out a small growl. After waiting a while, the journal shined once more between its pages. Sunset opened the book, flipping over to the most recent page.

“I guess your Apple Bloom didn’t tell you about the amulet around his neck, did she?”

Sunset turned away from the book and walked towards the comatose body. The damaged amulet around his neck fizzled a few seconds time and again. She grabbed the trinket and began to pull, but it still held in place. Sunset grabbed it with both hands and pulled as hard as she could. The amulet kept an iron grip on his chest region. She turned over to the journal and continued to read.

“When we got back from Saddle Arabia, I read a little about the ability to possess an individual, and what she has described reminded me of the stories I’ve heard of our Trixie succumbing to the evil of the so-called Alicorn Amulet. I’m certain your first reaction would be to remove it, but such trinkets can only be removed by the wearer him or herself. When such trinkets are damaged, the persona of the trinket and the wearer will clash for dominance of the body. Sunset, this requires immediate action; some of our most notorious criminals aside from the big ones had their original persona lose the battle.”

Beads of sweat ran down her forehead before Sunset began to write, “What would I have to do to have him remove the amulet?”

She waited a moment before the journal shined again.

“From what I can understand, you have to reach into Cogsworth’s mind telepathically and convince his original psyche that he is in control. But I have to warn you, failed sessions without proper cut-off resulted in the therapist performing the spell to lose his mind.

Take care,

Cosgrove the Pony.”

Sunset knew what he meant; she did perform a similar spell to her world’s Twilight when she was corrupted during the Friendship Games. She walked over to the comatose body.

“I need to be alone.” She knelt down and began reaching for Cogsworth’s head.

“Sunset, do you need my help.” - Twilight’s question wasn’t met with any response. She walked away - “Be careful then.”

Closing the door on the way out, Sunset relaxed, surrounding herself in an opal aura. The aura then condensed in a series of small balls and swirled around her, blowing her hair upward before the orbs turned white and swirled faster. The infirmary room shined bright, even far away sections of Estes Park such as Sweet Apple Acres and Great Valley Drive, the remaining citizens can see a bright object aside from the sun. Back inside, the light began to die down. Sunset Shimmer appeared in a completely different attire; instead of her usual biker clothes, she now wore a white and pink dress worthy of a grand ball, with red-gold boots and Easter blue gloves, around her eyes was a deeper orange, and two rays of light sprouted from her back like wings as well as her forehead like a horn. She reached out and touched Cogsworth’s head.

---

When she opened her eyes, Sunset found herself in a dark void, the light from her “wings” illuminating three feet of floor and walls. The walls were appeared to be sets of pistons. Perhaps this was Cogsworth’s version of human imagination: in a hypothesis, each individual has a dreamscape that fits their interests and talents. And now, with him comatose, the machinations of his mind have shut down. She walks forward, using her sense of touch to guide her down the deeper parts of his mind. One look to her left and she found a metal plate with the word, “Memorabilia” etched on it.

The tunnel immediately lit with several computer screens turning on one by one. Sunset continued her walk at a slower pace at each screen. The first one she saw was set in a rocky canyon. In front were couple students she could recognize as Dinky and Pipsqueak being led by a much taller classmate. Their journey was interrupted when a boulder cut off their route. The children turned and ran towards the exit. The view shifted up to see rocks falling down before looking forward again. The “camera” as it were turned to a cry for help. Cogsworth picked up Dinky and tossed her to Pipsqueak as he collapsed to the ground. The “camera” shut itself off, the last thing is a loud scream.

The next screen showed him in a laboratory. The view turned to a science teacher at a centrifuge. Turning around, she presented Cogsworth with a small gun and two darts filled with a glowing substance.

“Now what we need, are test subjects.” The teacher pulled out a list “I believe these would be the best ones.”

Cogsworth took a look at the list. They were many of Crystal Preps Senior Class, including those of the Shadow Bolts.

“An interesting choice of candidates, but why Seniors?” - He and Chrysalis turned to a glass beaker shattering on the floor. The people responsible were two Sophomore boys; one was skinny, green blue in skin color with black hair and glasses, the other was much more muscular, with a yellow-orange skin and blue clothing. Cogsworth loaded up the gun. - “Besides, it's always better to use still growing individuals.”

He fired the darts at their necks. As his view is moved back, he watched as the two boys became larger and animalistic. One became more reptilian as his skull shaped itself to be more like an alligator and wings appear. The other also sprouted wings but became more ursine as his head shaped itself like an eagle. In the reflection on the plastic doors, Cogsworth's reflection gave a stern look; the two beasts inside admired their appearance before letting out a loud roar.

Some of the monitors were becoming more of an oddball as Sunset began to find out. One vision showed the "camera" leading Twilight away.

“Oh no dear friend, I believe you completely. I know how blunt the honest ones can be that's why I had to leave them you know, they simply had no vision!”

“We didn’t mean that…” Said a sad squeaky voice

“Grand!” Roma turned around “Then we all agree that the only way for her to be Fall Formal Princess is, as they say, convince-”

The next monitor was most perplexing. The “camera” was in the air, with Twilight and the Rainbooms beside her. Sunset herself, the Maximals, Flash and, curious enough, Cogsworth, was in the view.

“I won’t let you do that!” - Yelled Twilight - “The portal will close soon!”

“Oh really? Do you think that’s going to stop me?” - The owner of the view pointed to herself with a blue claw - “Sierra, Lorraine and I have magic, and you have nothing! We may have to wait a while, but when we do, we would have control of this world! First the police, then the National Guard, then the United States military, then all of the world! Why do you still hope for the better?"

Rainbow Dash stood up, “Because she has us!” she answered before Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and even Fluttershy stood next to Twilight.

“Sierra and Lorraine?” - Sunset’s eyes widened -“These aren’t Cogsworth’s memories, they’re-!” The screens shut down on their own, leaving the lighting to Sunset's angelic form.

“It has been a while,” Hearing a light switch flip on with a loud clack, Sunset turned to the source of light, showing a shadowy figure beneath it - “hasn't it, Sunset Shimmer?”

Sunset walked towards the light with caution. That voice, how the figure remembers her, the memories inside Cogsworth's head.

“Roma Candle?” She asked, taking longer to land a step.

“The one and only.” Her face out of sight, the silhouette smiled a toothy grin.

“But, how?” - Sunset came into the light - “All this time, we thought you were-”

“Oh, Sunset, Sunset.” - Roma’s silhouette turned around, stepping towards the light - “I’m not dead…” - The first thing that came out was a digitigrade foot, scraping the ground with curved claws - “just something a little cosmetic surgery won’t fix.”

Indeed, Roma’s right eye doesn’t have a sclera, and the left half of her face resembled the demon form they had fought two years ago. She kept her wings folded against her body, giving the impression that she is wearing a dress.

“You seem to have had quite an upgrade.” - Roma tugged against Sunset's pink blouse - “The wings though could use a little red.”

Sunset shook her head, “Where is Cogsworth?”

“My are you impatient.” Roma scoffed before seeing her former classmate ball up her hand, glowing a bright yellow. That didn't stop her from giving Sunset a smug look.

“Tell me what you've done!” Sunset fired a blast of light at the demonic figure, dissipating Roma in a cloud of smoke. The spotlight died down again before another, much larger spotlight displayed a wheelchair in front of her. She walked into the light, and around the chair. The wheelchair has its wheels nailed to the floor, and its rider appeared much more emaciated than what the outside world suggests. He just sat there, staring at the floor like a vegetable.

“Oh, he tried to fight me at first, believe me, he did.” - Roma stepped into the light, placing her claws around the frail boy - “But all the stress in his school and all that magic, that all it took was one stupid, jealous farm girl and her amigas to snowball everything. He’s mine now...”

“No,” - Sunset lit up another ball of energy - “you don’t belong in his body.”

“And who’s gonna make us?” - Roma watched her “guest” cock her head as a massive drill smacked her to the ground. Sunset looked up to see a pair of monsters; to her left a massive bug with drills for hands, the other a slimmer beast with meat hooks and one glass eye - “I guess you forgot about Lorraine and Sierra. It’s sad to say that they have lost their minds too soon. You are alone, Sunset. No friend will come to you.”

Sunset tries to get up, but the two beasts kept her on her knees. “No, I still have a friend here.”

Roma raised her brow and walked over to Cogsworth. “Can you prove that you're his friend?”

“I am a much better friend who would never make you into a monster!” Sunset watched as the mechanic slowly lifted his head.

Roma leaned down so her lips could be at his ear. “I gave you strength, I gave you purpose.”

“We gave you friendship,” - Sunset lifted her arm - “we stuck by you and respected you when no one else did.”

“I gave you your legs back.” - Roma hissed before stepping towards the leader of our heroes. Pinned down by Lorraine and Sierra, Sunset watched as Roma clasped her hands together. As she drew them apart, a large fireball became larger and larger the further apart her hands were. - “Now, as Lorraine mentioned all those years ago, ‘Say hi to Night Dancer for me.’”

Sunset sneered as Roma raised here blazing ball. Ready to accept her fate, Sunset closed her eyes and waited for the dark magic to take her. Then her ears picked up something peculiar; machines, pistons thrusting up and down, little droids coming back to life as the light turned on. Roma, Sierra, and Lorraine looked back, seeing Cogsworth in full body armor.

---

Cogsworth opened his real eyes, severed the tethers with his broken blade and pulled the amulet free from his chest. He took a look at the cursed relic.

“You gave me nothing!” Cogsworth freed his other arm, changing it to a gun, and aimed it at the amulet. Outside the room, Twilight heard a loud scream followed by a loud blast. She rushed into the room, seeing Cogsworth collapse on the bed, the amulet shattered to pieces, and Sunset’s magical form ebbing away. Twilight lifted up her red and yellow friend.

“Sunset? Sunset!” Twilight shook her a bit before turning to Cogsworth, feeling a faint pulse on his fingers. She turned to see Sunset staggering out of the room. Twilight ran out, looking to her right and found Sunset leaning on the wall, her head above a trash can. “Sunset, are you okay?”

Sunset remained silent for a while, dry heaving before she turned to her friend. “Twilight, you know how I mentioned someone put on a crown once?”

“Yes…?” Answered Twilight as the memory of her temporarily demonized moment came to her.

Sunset lifted her head, “We made a monster…”

Outside the hospital, smoke burst out of the air ducts. As it traveled in the air, past the flocks of geese, and into the blue sky, the smoke split into three. The black essence spun and twirled, echoing the city with a loud cackle. Cogsworth wasn’t the only one freed today.