The New Dawn of the Setting Sun

by The Crazed Werewolf

Chapter 12: Rainbows, some answers and Chaos

Sweat trickled down Rainbow Dash as she tossed and turned in her bed. Any one watching her would have been able to see that she was having a nightmare...

Rainbow was running. As fast as she ran, the singing flowers and their jazz flutes kept up. No matter where she turned they were waiting for her. She had to find an escape. She was running down a long narrow street, she could hear the evilly happy music behind her getting closer, and closer. She saw an opening ahead of her, an alleyway that led to the next street over, she had used it before...

Turning into the alley she ran face first into a brick wall. That wasn't supposed to be there! She looked around for a place to hide. If she exited the alley now, the would surely catch her. Rainbow listened as she heard the sound of approaching boots...

Sunset Shimmer entered the alley. She held out her hand.

"Take my hand Rainbow," Sunset said, "I can lead out of here."

Rainbow started to reach for Sunset, but then she pulled back her hand. Something was wrong. Looking Sunset over, Rainbow noticed that Sunset's eyes were the color of the night sky, and her hand resembled a talon more than a hand. The Sunset smiled at Rainbow. All Rainbow could do was scream...

"Damn," Rainbow said quietly as she wiped the sweat from her face.

*****

Both Rarity and Rainbow looked very disheveled when they arrived at school that morning.

"Rough night," Rainbow asked as she looked Rarity over.

"Mmhmm," Rarity answered as she took a sip from her gallon of coffee, "you?"

"Ditto," Rainbow answered, "have you seen Sunset, I really want to talk to her."

"Not yet I'm afraid," Rarity said, "and the line forms behind me."

"Nightmare," Rainbow asked.

"Nightmare," Rarity sighed.

"Ditto," Rainbow said, "what's going on, first Sunset has nightmares, and we need answers."

"Morning girls," Sunset said as she approached her two friends.

"Sunset," Rarity said, "could we talk."

"Uh, sure," Sunset answered nervously, "What's up?"

"As you can likely see, Rainbow and I did not get much sleep last night," Rarity said, "we both had nightmares, involving you."

"What, how," Sunset answered.

"Yeah," Rainbow said as she crossed her arms over her chest, "we were hoping that you could tell us."

"This doesn't make any sense," Sunset said rubbing her temple, "first I have terrible nightmares, then they stop. And now my friends are having those same nightmares."

Sunset began to think about the situation, then an unpleasant thought came to her.

"The demon can't get to me directly," Sunset said, "so it's targeting my friends, looking for the weakest mind to take hostage."

"Then any one of us could be the host," Rainbow asked. Sunset studied both Rarity and Rainbow intently.

"I believe that you two proved to strong willed for the demon," Sunset explained, "Rarity's affection for me likely protected her,"

"How was I protected," Rainbow asked,

"Oh that's easy," Sunset said, "I know both you and the demon, and you Rainbow, have a much larger ego than it does."

"Thanks," Rainbow said, "I think."

"So how do we figure out who the demon is going to infect," Rarity asked.

"I wish I knew Rares," Sunset answered, "I wish I knew."

"Maybe we should talk to the others," Rainbow said, "you know, to let them know what's happening."

"Actually that's a great idea Rainbow," Sunset said.

"So, what are we gonna do," Rainbow said as a grin crept across her face, "skip school?"

"I'm the Principal's daughter," Sunset said shuddering, "plus you haven't seen her when she is angry."

"Really Rainbow Dash," Rarity said, "you can be so immature."

"Mornin' gals," Applejack said, "how're y'all doin' this mornin'."

"Rarity and Rainbow both had nightmares last night about Sunset," Pinkie said as she and Fluttershy walked up, "what did I say?"

"PINKIE I SWEAR," Sunset exclaimed.

"Oh my," Fluttershy said as she stepped behind Applejack.

"Girls we need to talk," Rarity said.

Rainbow and Sunset nodded. Applejack looked at Pinkie and Fluttershy.

"Music room after school," Applejack said. The other girls nodded in agreement. They then went inside for class.

Sunset stopped at her locker and sighed, the fresh coat of paint that had been applied to her locker had been written over. Looking closely she could see that someone had actually scratched some very vulgar sayings and drawings into her locker. Suddenly Sunset got an idea, she stormed off in the direction of the CHS library. Entering the library she immediately saw who she was looking for.

"Trixie," Sunset said. Trixie looked up at Sunset, then she glanced around quickly looking for possible escape routes.

"S-Sunset, W-what can I do f-for you," Trixie asked, a slight hint of fear in her voice.

"I want," Sunset started to say, then she changed what she was going to say, "I mean, could you please tell me about Sunrise?"

"Sunrise," Trixie asked, not able to contain her surprise, "why do you want to know about my cousin?"

"Something happened over the weekend," Sunset said, "look I just want to know more about her."

"Oh right, the mirror thing," Trixie said, "I overheard my mom and your mom talking about it."

"Eavesdrop much?" Sunset said sarcastically.

"The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't eavesdrop," Trixie said, "at least no on her mom!"

"Luna would kill you," Sunset said.

"You have no idea," Trixie answered, "so what exactly did you want to know?"

"Well mom told me about what she was like as a daughter," Sunset said, "could you tell me what she was like as a friend?"

Trixie hesitated, Sunset could the pain in Trixie's eyes as she thought about her cousin, it reminded Sunset that she and Trixie weren't really a family.

"Sunrise was more than my cousin," Trixie said as her eyes began to water, "she was my best friend and protector."

"When I found out that I was diabetic," Trixie continued, "most of the other kids called me a freak and made fun of me since I had to get shots multiple times a day and I couldn't eat a lot of sugar. Sunrise sent many of my tormentors home with black eyes."

Sunset listened, she had never bothered Trixie about being diabetic, it was a medical condition that she knew Trixie had not caused herself.

"We were inseparable," Trixie said, "mom once joked that we would have to move in with your mom and dad since Sunrise and I wouldn't go to sleep until we told each other goodnight."

Sunset laughed at the image of a young Trixie throwing a temper tantrum because she couldn't say goodnight to her cousin.

"Then Sunrise got sick and passed away," Trixie said as tears began to run down her cheeks, "I didn't understand why I couldn't talk to her or play with her or show her my latest magic trick anymore."

Trixie paused as she wiped away her tears. Then she looked at Sunset, really looked at her for the first time since their conversation had begun. Sunset felt as if Trixie was looking deep within her soul.

"Then you showed up," Trixie said "you look like her and you sound like her, but you aren't her. And you never will be."

"Trixie, I-" Sunset began.

"Please go," Trixie sniffled, "I kinda want to be alone now."

Sunset looked at Trixie, then she reached out and gave her shoulder a squeeze before she walked out of the library.

For most of the day, Sunset couldn't get what Trixie had said to her off of her mind.

"Penny of your thoughts," Rarity said, brining Sunset back to the present. She and her friends were gathered in the music room after school.

"Oh I was just thinking about something Trixie told me this morning," Sunset answered.

"What did the Great and Powerful Trixie do now," Rainbow answered with a hint of anger in her voice.

"Nothing, I was just asking her a few questions." Sunset said hoping to difuse
Rainbow's fury.

"So,' Applejack said, "what did y'all want to talk about?"

Sunset, Rarity and Rainbow looked at each other, silently trying to decide who would speak first. After a moment Rarity took charge.

"Rainbow and I both had nightmares last night," Rarity said, "involving Sunset's demon."

"NAILED IT," Pinkie cried enthusiastically.

"I think the demon is searching for a new host," Sunset said, "and by targeting my friends it knows that it will get to me."

"So what are we supposed to do," Rainbow said, "not sleep."

"It'll likely try to seduce or tempt you," Sunset sighed, "you have to be willing otherwise it has no power over you."

"Eep," Fluttershy silently said.

"So any one of us could end up being the host," Applejack asked.

"I believe that it is going after those I'm closest too," Sunset said, "which means you girls."

"But you're closer to Rarity than any of us," Pinkie said, "shouldn't she be the host?"

"Rarity's feeling for me allowed her to see through the demon's attempt." Sunset answered.

"It was a rather poor facsimile of my beloved Sunset," Rarity said as she wrapped her arms around her girlfriend.

"Would you two please get a room," Rainbow said jokingly.

"I think it's sweet." Fluttershy said.

*****

The demon circled over Canterlot, unnoticed by all. Silently observing Sunset and her friends. It had in mind who it would target tonight. Once they went to sleep, they would be the weapon that it used to conquer Sunset Shimmer!

*****

"Ooh, even the cake is made of cake," Pinkie exclaimed as she dipped her fork into the giant cake in front of her, "mmm spicy!"

Pinkie danced around the giant cake, but she suddenly list her footing and found herself neck deep in cake batter in a giant mixing bowl. Slowly, the egg beaters on the mixing bowl began to spin, sucking her toward them.

"Take my hand," Sunset said.

Pinkie looked up and saw Sunset standing over the bowl, reaching out for her. Pinkie started to reach for Sunset, but she hesitated. She wasn't sure why, but something about Sunset didn't seem right. Then she got an idea.

"What kind of pizza did Discord first give you?" Pinkie asked.

"What are you talking about Pinkie," Sunset said, "can't you see that I'm trying to save you?"

"Wrong answer," Pinkie said moments before she woke up.

"Maybe I should only eat two slices of cake before bed." Pinkie said.

"Mmhmm," Pinkie's twin sister, Marble said.

Author's Note:

I am really enjoying the new direction that this story is going. I may go and revise the previous chapters.

And the second longest chapter so far, that was purely unintended, I just got into the zone when I wrote this chapter and didn't want to stop.

I wonder if Trixie and Sunset can ever get over the gulf that exists between them.

Any guesses on who the final host will be?

Comments

[Snowdrifter]

Any guesses on who the final host will be?

Apple Bloom?
Cranky Doodle?
Wallflower Blush?
Beuller?
Flash Sentry?

[The Crazed Werewolf]

8958334
I already know who the final host will be. Just stay tuned.

[Vaguely Demented]

Of the characters you’ve introduced I would bet on either Trixie or Hoops.