The Issue of Multiple Sunsets

by Hopeful_Ink_Hoof

Sunsets and night falls

The last rays of the setting sun shined its pink lemonade light across the front of Canterlot High School. While the campus was normally empty on the weekends, on this Sunday evening turning night, it had quite a little crowd around the front. The cooling soon to be night air was filled with tension about the pending night time event.

Although not everyone was treating the moment as somber and serious. Pinkie Pie stood on top of the magical box now turned magical box, a tri-cornered captain's sailing cap on her head. She held a telescope to one eye, scanning along the front and the road leading to the school.

"Ship ahoy!" she cried out, pointing.

A black sports car pulled into the school's parking lot. On the hood was a familiar symbol: a blue shield with a yellow lightning bolt in the center of it. Its headlights shined across the front and all gathered there as it pulled into an empty spot. The engine cut out and lights went off, the doors opening.

"Flash?" Fluttershy called out. "What are you doing here?"

Flash Sentry held out a thumb, pointing it across the roof toward the passenger side. There stood another Sunset Shimmer.

"This is Phoenix Dawn," Flash explained. "I met her at an open mic night yesterday." He shifted, shrugging some as he looked around. "After what happened earlier, I thought it would be best if I brought her here."

He glanced around and his eyes went wide.

"I figured there'd be more," he said, "but actually seeing it..."

"Yeah, yeah," Rainbow cut in, walking up. "Look, things are about to get nasty here, and no offense, but you aren't much of a fighter, and you don't have any magic." She paused, eyes narrowing. "Do you?"

Flash and Phoenix shook their heads.

"Right," Rainbow replied. "So, you should either clear out somewhere safe, or hide in back near the horse."

"...horse?" Phoenix repeated.

"Yes, horse. Go see for yourself."

After Phoenix pulled her guitar case out of the backseat, the two of them headed closer to the school entrance and away from the parking lot where all the others were watching.

Sure enough, there was indeed a horse there, along with a dog and what looked like a three foot tall unicorn.

"Why'd you ask about actual magic?" Pinkie asked from her perch.

Rainbow shrugged one shoulder.

"Figured it couldn't hurt. I mean after hearing what Principal Celestia did, and having Street Mage Shimmer with us, it's possible."

"Uh-oh," Pinkie cried out, her body tensing. "Pinkie sense in overdrive. Something's happening."

Pulling out a bullhorn, she turned around to face everyone.

"All hands prepare for combat!" she called out. "All hands..."

She stopped talking as an icy chill ran up her spine, making her look up. The others quickly followed suit.

As the last rays of sunlight faded, thick, black clouds roiled out of the east, oozing across the sky above them and blocking out the stars and moon before they could even be seen. Acid green lightning twitched and spasmed among them, yet without a single even distant rumble of thunder to accompany it. It continued to infect the sky, covering more and more until it was all that the group could see.

A single, massive bolt shot down, punching the parking lot. The light of it blinded everyone there, and the earth-shaking explosion that announced it left an ear-ringing silence behind.

Standing in the half-inch deep circle left behind by the explosion was Sunset Satan, her associates, and Crystal Prep Sunset. The last was standing between the siren Sunset Shimmer and one that none of the recognized or had seen before, the two resting a hand on Crystal Prep Sunset's shoulders. She was slightly slumped over, her hair sticking out in all directions, and her clothes wrinkled and un-tucked. Her hand clutched at something at close to her chest, holding it right over her heart. Her eyes finally focused at the crowd, and she gave a tired smile.

Sentai Villain Sunset Shimmer hunched over, hands on her knees. Her body rose and fell as she panted, sweat dripping from her face.

"Is she okay?" Pinkie Pie asked, pointing at the panting villain.

"I'm fine," S.V. Sunset answered, holding up a hand. "I'm fine."

"Just stupid," siren Shimmer replied, turning to glare at her.

"Hey," S.V. Sunset shouted. "Shut up." She straightened up, still panting. "Theatrics are important." She then bent over again, although not as far, and grabbed the right of her stomach.

"Got a stitch."

"Not so important that it uses all your magic, and makes you useless for the possible battle," siren Shimmer pointed out.

"I have plenty of magic left!" S.V. Sunset retorted. "It's just harder to channel it without my staff."

"You mean this?" Adagio Dazzle called out, holding up the staff which ponied-up Celestia had taken from Sentai Villain Sunset and given to Fluttershy. Adagio's grin grew wider as she held it up higher. Her eyes narrowed as she gave the shaft a long, slow, gentle stroke with one hand, letting her finger tips just barely caress along the length.

"Such a lovely thing," she purred out.

"That doesn't belong to you!" Sentai Villain Sunset Shimmer shouted.

"From what I've been told," Adagio retorted, "It doesn't actually belong to you either." She then pulled it closer, pressing the staff between her breasts. "Besides, I think it's such a wonderful accessory for me." She traced a fingernail along. "So big and powerful."

"Alright," Daydream Shimmer called out as she stepped forward. She focused her attention on Sunset Satan. "Let's get to the matter at hand. We're here." She glanced toward Crystal Prep Sunset. "Is she okay?"

Satan grinned and took a step aside, motioning to the girl in question with an outstretched arm.

"As you can see for yourself, there is no harm," she stated. "A little disheveled, yes, but that is due to a lack of sleep brought on by curiosity."

She then turned to the others on her side.

"Go ahead."

The siren and vampire Sunset Shimmers released their hold on Crystal Prep Sunset's shoulders. There was a moment where she wobbled, like she was going to drop, but instead took a step forward. Then another. And another. They were slow, plodding, but she was moving from one group to the other.

Daydream Shimmer took a step forward to meet her.

The siren's gem and vampire's eyes lit up, glowing with a blood-red energy.

"Tirek," Sunset Satan hissed.

Crystal Prep Sunset stopped, blue, black, and red flicking across her eyes as they glassed over. Extending her arms, she held out the spectrometer, pointing it at Daydream Shimmer, and pressed a button.

The spectrometer opened.

Daydream Shimmer shrieked in agony as golden light was ripped from her heart, her lungs, her soul, where it had all been for so briefly, but seemed like it had been an eternity. It was torn from her, sucked from her, and fed into a machine no larger than a thick make-up compact.

As more and more of the magic was yanked from every atom of her being, a change came over her. Or more accurately, a change back. It started with her hair, the red and gold locks losing their anti-gravity abilities and falling around her face and neck. The glowing light that created her "horn" dimmed, then grew shorter and shorter before disappearing. The streak of red across her eyes like a mask followed, peeling away at the edges until her face was uncovered. Wings of pure light gave way to ones of feathers, which fell away one by one until none were left. The magnificent white gown shifted to the clothes she had worn before: leather jacket, baby-blue blouse, skinny jeans, and biker boots.

With an audible POP! the last of the magic was yanked from what had been Daydream Shimmer and was now an ordinary Sunset, the spectrometer snapping shut like a steel trap. Released from the machine's claw, Sunset dropped to the ground, panting, and tears running down her cheeks.

Crystal Prep Sunset took a step back and turned around, walking back

"Sunset!" Fluttershy cried out, running over to the former Daydream Shimmer. She crouched down, placing a hand on the Daydream's back. "Are you okay?"

Daydream did not respond.

"What did you do to her?" Fluttershy growled, turning a glare that would stop a rampaging rhino in its track at the group of villains.

The four of them took a step back as chills ran down their spines. Satan was the first to recover, straightening up (and grateful for the dark red skin to hide her embarrassment).

"Oh, come now," Sunset Satan said. "Surely you remember the spectrometer." She made a motion toward Crystal Prep Sunset. "We had your friend here build a slightly modified version of it."

She turned her full attention to the Crystal Prep Sunset and held out a hand.

"Give it to me."

Crystal Prep Sunset stopped, blinking quickly as her eyes came into focus again. She took a step back, clutching the spectrometer to her chest.

"N...n-no..." she gasped out, trying to shake her head. "Y-you... you can't..."

Satan let out a growl, the flame of her hair flickering and brightening. Her eyes flared with dark magic.

"Give it to me!" she repeated, baring her fangs.

Crystal Prep Sunset kept shaking her head, her body shaking as she tried to step back more.

"Sunset," the vampire Sunset Shimmer said, her eyes glowing brighter, "let her have it."

Eyes glassing over once again, Crystal Prep Sunset Shimmer held out the spectrometer and pressed the button.

Sunset Satan screamed.

Comments

[Comickook]

VERY good job on this latest chapter. The exchanges, action, characterizations and climax set-up are all well done in all the right places. Yeah, I DID love Pinkie's pinkie sense going into overdrive, as well as Adagio holding Sentai Villain Sunset's staff. Not to mention, yeah, I kind of figured that was what Sunset Satan had in mind having her Crystal Prep counterpart build that gadget (though I should have seen vampire Sunset trying to double-cross Sunset Satan using the hypnotized Crystal Prep Sunset coming).

And, yeah, this is where Flash and Phoenix Dawn might actually be useful (as they have no magic for that gadget to drain, meaning they can get in close enough to actually stand a chance of swiping it).

But, anyway, I will very definitely be looking forward to the next chapter(s).

[FanOfMostEverything]

Seriously, people, what did you expect? I'd chastise them for just standing there during the drain, but a combination of shock and the villainous Sunsets ready to defend C. P. Sunset made any kind of intervention problematic.

In any case, sudden but inevitable betrayal is go. Someone send in the nonmagical forces. Flash riding actual horse Sunset might be able to nip this in the bud before it escalates out of cotrol.

[Pr1deM0rn1ngstar]

Yep there it is the double cross pretty much everyone could smell coming a mile away