The Geas

by Jaycren

The Moment of Kindness

Flash Sentry lived up to his name, as he sprinted towards Sunset Shimmer. Garm had returned. She needed to know, Garm was dangerous. Flash never believed Garm wouldn't harm Sunset, despite her assertions. After what the psycho had told him, Flash had made the biggest mistake of his life. He had thrown a punch. Flash shook his head, he was a dedicated martial artist, trained by soldiers and not a stranger to violence himself, but he had not even seen Garm move. His next memory was awakening bloody and broken, Garm had vanished. The only evidence of his existence the savage beating he had given Flash. Flash had broken up with Sunset soon after.

Rounding a corner he spotted Sunset and the girls, rushing over, he against the table and gasped out, "Sunset we need to talk!"

Quizzically looking at her once boy toy, she opened her mouth only to have her phone ring. Struggling to get to her phone the beeping of missed call was heard. Finally, retrieving her phone, she saw no sign that it had ever been called. Again the ringing issued forth. Patting down her pockets she found the source, taking an unfamiliar phone out of her pocket, she gasped as she saw the name on the caller Id, GARM.

"That isn't your phone, is it?" Flash asked.

"No it's not." Sunset replied. Shaking her hand she answered the cell. "H-H-Hello?"

Sunset's skin paled, goosebumps forming on her skin. Shuddering, she glanced fearfully to her friends. A muffled male voice was barely heard through the receiver. Looking once more to her friends, Sunset placed the offending device on the table and hit speaker.

"Hello, Mistress. It's agreeable to speak with you once more. I regret that I can't present myself to you in a more appropriate fashion but I felt with the impulsiveness of some of your friends it wouldn't be the best idea. After all, you have been getting quite squamish lately."

A voice echoed forth from Sunset. None but Fluttershy recognized it. The Pink haired girl shuddered when the last time she heard it was. Of all that had Sunset had done to her, that had been the worst and hardest thing to forgive. But Sunset was different now, Right?

"Approach anyone of my FRIENDS with hostile intent, my Cerberoi, and I will show you the extent of my SQUEAMISHNESS." Sunset snarled.

"I so do enjoy hearing your beautiful voice, My Mistress. It incites me so. But I wish your friends no ill will. In fact I'm going to enact my debt of kindness towards you by absolving any lingering guilt those friends, or anyone else in the school for that matter, might have over that Anonymous incident. Hold on a moment. You know my dislike of doing a job more than once, so I'ill be informing the entire student body, including faculty, at once."

The phone went dead, Sunset glanced around at her friends, her eyes haunted. Looking to Fluttershy she mouthed the words, "I'm Sorry." Fluttershy smiled and nodded. That particular wound had long healed, that person no longer existed. Sunset Shimmer had killed her. Fluttershy felt bad she had doubted her fiery haired friend.

A whine echoed forth from the intercom, distortion squealing as control of the speakers was stolen throughout the school.

The same deep, almost jolly voice issued forth. "Hello Students and Facul,ty of Canterlot High. My name is Garm Fenrir'sson. I have a very important message for everyone. It's especially important to those adorable little mischief makers, Applebloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle. I'm here to tell you why all of you went completely bonkers over that Anonymous thing. While your actions were indeed your own, you're free will had been slightly impaired. It happened the night of a particular fall formal. When My Mistress Sunset Shimmer turned into a maddened demon woman. Lets call her Eclipse Shimmer." The voice paused as if in thought.

"Eclipse in her insanity took control of all your minds through the broken bonds of friendship, that because of Sunset's actions, were rather severely weakened. This was NOT, I repeat NOT part of the plan. The Plan was for Sunset, when the mirror opened to go back through, and tell her mentor off, cut ties, then permanently seal the portal. Instead, in a fit of rage that the only person to act as her mother had outright replaced her, and quickly at that, she stole a magical artifact that was definitely not meant for her. In the end, by placing it on her head, her very magic was corrupted, as both parties rejected the other. The reason that the elements worked is that Sunset was fighting against the demon as much, if not more, than her other friends did. But one can never win against oneself, and Sunset had been fighting such a losing battle alone for a very long time." A regretful pause, then the words continued to pour from the Speakers.

"But I digress, during this time of struggle Eclipse took control of all the minds of the student body and faculty. This my friends is why you all get a free pass on this. That act is an extreme act of Dark Magic and though you were only under its spell for a few moments, the negative emotions inspired by the dark magic had accrued. The younger are especially vulnerable. Sweetie, Scoots and AB were given no explanation for the complete 180 Sunset had done, nor the reversal of their loved ones. So, in the end they acted on the lingering anger that had crept silently into their hearts. Sweetie is Rarity's sister, AB is Applejacks, Scoots has worshiped Rainbow Dash for years. Seeing the one that had so tortured their Idols seemingly still a danger, the anger and fear inside called for them to act. So they did, giving you all the excuse to not guard yourself against such feelings, which then drove you to act. The only one that would've had any knowledge of what was occuring was Princess Twilight Sparkle. Who being at ground zero was impaired herself and unable to make a correct diagnosis. The fact that the hand of friendship was extended at all is a testament to The Princess." The Voice paused again, when it spoke again, everyone heard the truth of the words.

'Further support for this is that the Dazzlings used dark magic against all of you for much longer, so when they fell the backlash was immediate. It moves among you even now, encouraging forgetfulness, and unsympathetic thought. So when it comes to them, no hand of friendship was extended and they are now are in the wind. The three vanished into the world. Three time lost teens no longer with any defense or way of getting home. Not to mention going through some epic level withdraw from dark magic usage. Something that had been with them from birth. A gift to their species from King Grogar of Tambelon. The spell that brought them here moved them in time and space. That's right, the very home they wanted to go back to no longer exists. They arrived, about a week before I and My Mistress Shimmer did. Something I found out after her and I..... parted ways. So rejoice! Your judgement was impaired when it came to Sunset. Please, do not make the same mistake with the Sirens, or others. My kindness is this, the chance to learn from past mistakes and correct them in the future. Forewarned is forearmed after all."

The Intercom cut off with a lingering screech. Not moments later the phone that was not Sunset's rang once more.

Tears on her face she answered, once more placing it on speaker.

"Ah, Good. I'm on speaker. What say you, Mistress Shimmer? What do you think of my Kindness?"

"I think it was the Cruelest Kindness I have ever been on the receiving end of. Why? Why did you do that? Why, Garm? Did I mean so little to you?"

Garm was quiet a moment then his own tears could be heard over the phone. "I want to be free Mistress. I have given you a Cruel Kindness. That is the clue to the settling of our AGREEMENT. Now it's your turn. I want to be free so I know what you are to me. Without the interference of my shackles. I have no IDEA what YOU mean to ME! Because I have no idea what emotions are MINE and what are from our AGREEMENT."

Garm stopped a moment as all present heard him get a hold of himself. When he spoke again his voice was clear and cold.

"Tell them everything, Mistress. I hereby give you permission to share with all everything pertaining to me and my service to you. No more secrets, no more concealment. Anyway this ends I want to walk in the daylight, I want to be able to make my own decision. All Debts Paid, An Act of Kindness, An Act of Cruelty, An Act Of Cruelty, An Act Of Kindness. I will wait for you where last you saw me. Oh and Flash, I wish there to be no grudges between us. I acted.... badly towards you. I apologize."

Flash sighed. Tension left his body as he said. "Not like I could do anything about it if I did, Garm. You're way above my level. Agreed, no grudges, no debts. Maybe not friends, but not enemies either."

"More than I expected, Flash. You are truly a man of honor and worthy of the Sentry name. I bid you all farewell. Mistress Shimmer I await your presence."

A click as Garm disconnected, then silence. A silence that stretched as Sunset lowered her head. Hands offered support, as her friends sought to comfort her. The gesture reminding her she was not alone. Lifting her head, she looked out and saw the concern of Canterlot High. She could do this. Getting up she looked to her friends.

"Girls, get Trixie, Wallflower, and Vinyl, This is a long story and I've no desire to tell it twice. We'll meet at Twilight's because she has the most room, that okay Twi?"

The spectacled girl shook her head, "Of course Sunset."

Nodding her head in thanks, Sunset rose to face the rest of her day. But soon the last of her burdens would be done. Soon the last secret would be over. The last bond broken. Like Garm She Just Wanted To Be Free.