The New Hacker In Town

by AlexTFish

Learn A Little More What It Can Do

The next day dawned bright and cheerful. Thankfully Sunset was blissfully unaware of this fact, sleeping in till noon being one of her favourite uses of a Saturday. She had to work at the sushi truck during the day, so texted the others to arrange another trip out to the warehouse in the Rainbooms van.

Hi guys. We had a virtual run-in with my mean alternate self last night. You girls up for going back to hers this evening to give her the rainbow laser treatment?

im always up for rainbow lasers!

Would it kill you to use capital letters, Rainbow Dash?

lifestooshorttouseashiftkey!

Do we have a better plan this time? It wasn’t nice being trapped in that microwave.

Yes. For starters, we stick together. We know what we’re letting ourselves in for this time. For one thing, she knows we’re coming.

SAY WHAT NOW? WHY ARE WE GOING IF SHE KNOWS WE’RE COMING?

I know I told Rainbow Dash I wanted capital letters, but that’s too many capital letters, Applejack.

We arranged to go teach her about Equestrian magic. But we both know it’s a trap.

It was a trap last time too. I’d rather not go...

I promise we’ll all stay together this time, Shy. We’ll protect you.

Will there be more of those silly robots??

Probably. You up for smashing some?

You know it!!

It sounds like I’d better come with you just to keep you all in line.

AND IN ONE PIECE.

That too, darling.

Great. Thanks, everyone. AJ, you okay to come and get us in the tour bus? Something like 7pm?

NO PROBLEM.

The plan being made, Sunset put on her biker helmet and gloves and rode into town. Working at the sushi van wasn’t the most intellectually stimulating of jobs, and the entitlement of the typical consumer was infuriating. But it had some perks. The uniform was kinda cute, there was an art to arranging the different pieces of a meal into a bento box, and chopping raw fish was a great way to let out some frustration. Today Sunset was imagining the fish steaks that she was dicing and mincing were Sundown’s head. And occasionally Micro Chips’s. But mainly Sundown.

At the end of her shift, Sunset washed her hands and wiped her forehead, then took out her phone to unmute it. “Oh, no,” she sighed. “Nine missed texts? What’s going on?”

I’m terribly sorry, darlings, but something’s come up. Could we possibly reschedule our excursion to tomorrow evening?

I’ll be happy to not come out today.

Sure, works for me.

Aww! I wanted to go blast some robots!

Guys! We told her we’d be coming over tonight!

I’m sure your date with Sunset’s alter ego can wait one day.

Sorry, I really can’t make it tonight.

Argh! Sunset, what do we do??

Then, to Sunset’s distress, she noticed a new text come in, from an unknown source:

This is Sundown. Remember our deal. Come round tonight and tell me what you know.

Sunset muffled a scream. She took a deep breath in, and exhaled while counting to ten. Then she sent Twilight a message.

Sundown is hassling me. I think we have to go tonight even if it’s just you and me.

Oh dear. Okay. Come and get me?

On my way.

---

Sunset parked her motorbike a block down the round from Sundown’s hideout. She waited a few moments, then said with a smile, “Uh, Twilight? You can let go now.”

“R-right,” Twilight replied, loosening her grip around Sunset’s waist. “Sorry. Motorcycle riding is always… high adrenaline.”

“Heh.” Sunset patted Twilight’s hand fondly. “Well, we’re here now.”

“Yep.” Twilight dismounted, then stood awkwardly for several seconds. “And… what are we going to do now we are here?”

“Ugh. Yeah… good question.” Sunset leaned against a wall covered in peeling scraps of old advertisements, and gave a deep sigh. “Without the others, the plan of ‘pony up and blast her with friendship’ is a non-starter. I’d really like to get to touch Sundown so I can look into her head to find out the real deal with her magic, her history, everything.” She pondered. “We could try to just actually talk to her about magic and then leave?” She gave Twilight a hopeful smile.

Twilight crossed her arms. “And you’d give that a percentage chance of success of…?”

Sunset thought herself back into the mindset she’d had when she was taking over Canterlot High. She winced. She really didn’t like to retread those mental pathways. She imagined herself as alpha bully, having found a mysterious magical item, and someone offering her information on it, someone who was simultaneously one of her previous targets, and yet now too powerful to ignore.

She groaned. “Twenty percent? If we’re lucky? If we make ourselves seem too strong, she sees us as a threat. If we seem too weak, she sees us as victims to be exploited. There’s a really narrow line.” Grimacing, she added, “And we should probably not actually mention the magical world full of talking ponies. Given my ambition was to invade and take it over…”

“Riiight.” Twilight Sparkle took a deep breath, took Sunset’s hand, and smiled brightly. “Then we’d better be helpful, confident, and lucky.”

Returning her smile, Sunset said, “Let’s do this.”

They approached the warehouse. The door was still hanging uselessly from its hinges. Sunset walked up to it and knocked politely nevertheless. It made no discernible sound, and they could see past it that the room beyond was empty. They exchanged glances, then Sunset hammered on the door loud enough to make a resounding clang.

After an awkward minute waiting, the two pushed their way into the small office and through the inner door to the main warehouse. It was dark and quiet.

Twilight Sparkle cleared her throat and called out, “We’re here to see Sundown!”

“How good of you to come by,” smirked a voice from above them, and bright lights flicked on.

Sundown was sitting casually on top of the microwave robot to their left. A malicious-looking kettle robot with lasers was in front of them, and there was a huge vacuum cleaner with frowny eyes to their right.

Twilight gulped.

Sunset put on her best friendly smile. “Nice show of force,” she said. “There’s no need though. We’re unarmed.”

“And just the two of you?” sang Sundown.

“Er… that’s right,” Twilight said.

“Your friends aren’t lurking outside ready to crash in and smash another of my robots?”

“Nope,” Sunset proclaimed, more confidently than she felt. “We’re just here to talk.”

“Excellent. Then let’s talk.”

“Don’t we get to sit down?” Twilight asked.

“I’m not exactly set up for receiving guests,” Sundown muttered. “Fine. You can sit… here.” She kicked a button on the microwave she was sitting on, and its giant door swung open. The lip of its boxy interior, perched on top of caterpillar treads, was the height of a low sofa.

Boggling at the surreal surroundings, Sunset walked over and sat down, halfway inside the microwave. Twilight hesitantly joined her.

Sundown nimbly hopped down and stood in front of them with her arms crossed. “Okay. You know something about these magic items. Talk.”

---

It was a very tense conversation. Sunset had gone through the Rainbooms’ various encounters with Equestrian magic, starting with Gloriosa’s geodes at Camp Everfree and progressing through Juniper’s mirror, Vignette’s phone, Wallflower’s Memory Stone, and even the strange watering can. They focused on the commonalities between all the incidents, especially how the magic became addictive and mind-altering the more they used it, though Sundown predictably pooh-poohed the risks.

Sundown was an adept and incisive student, asking clarifying questions and demanding how they knew certain points; often Sunset’s and Twilight’s best answer was nothing but a helpless “...That’s our best guess”. Where did the magic come from? They suspected from another world, but didn’t have any proof. Why did it choose those items to enchant? Twilight wasn’t sure to what extent if any the magic could be said to have volition of its own, but if it did, it seemed to be attracted towards items and powers that exacerbated the wielder’s worst tendencies. Each ensorcelled object seemed intended and destined for one particular owner.

At length, Sundown scowled and threw up her hands. “You don’t actually know anything useful, do you?”

“We’ve told you all we can,” Twilight protested nervously.

“And you don’t know anything that’s actually of any use to me,” the villain repeated. “A pity. I was actually prepared to make a deal with you, even if I did take steps to make sure you came here without your friends.”

Sunset frowned. “Our friends cancelled of their own accord.”

Sundown clapped happily. “Oh good, I’m glad my impressions of them were convincing! I only had a few hours to read their message histories and put words into their mouths.”

“You wrote the text from Rarity,” breathed Sunset. “I thought something seemed off about it. But wait, what about my reply?”

“Your friends think you were the ones to put them off till tomorrow. Once I had their numbers from Twilight’s computer, it’s easy to intercept an outgoing text and replace its contents,” said Sundown smugly.

“No it isn’t!” Twilight objected.

“It is with the magic hacking stick!” Sundown sang. Sunset grimaced. Had she been this annoying when she was a villain?

“Anyway. I think we should be going now,” said Sunset, standing up.

“Ahem? You’re not going anywhere!” Sundown retorted. She pressed something in her hand and the robots started moving forwards.

Twilight ran for the office they’d come in through. But blocking its door was a giant desk fan that somehow had eyebrows even though its blades were spinning fast enough to push Twilight away from the door.

A hose from the vacuum robot snaked out towards them. Twilight levitated a metal pole and smashed the hose out of the way.

A blast of steam jetted towards them from the kettle droid, forcing Sunset to duck and roll down one of the aisles between storage units. She paused to catch her breath and take stock. The microwave bot was trundling slowly up the aisle towards her; the others were out of sight.

Okay. There had to be another exit; two of them, in fact, if Rainbow Dash’s scout report could be believed. The robots moved slower than they could run, so they just needed to dodge the laser blasts from the microwave bot and –

Sunset found herself lifted up into the air. She tried to turn around, and saw over her shoulder that a vacuum hose was attached to her back.

She struggled, but it was no use. No matter how much she flailed her arms or kicked her legs, the vacuum-bot had her back firmly attached.

“Oh no. Sunset!”

Sunset saw Twilight run towards her and reach out with her magic, trying to pull the hose off Sunset’s back. “No! Get out of here, Twilight!” she cried, but it was too late. A robot was approaching from each end of the aisle, and Twilight found herself trapped.

“Right,” said Sundown grimly from atop the microwave robot. “That is quite enough of that. Stand still, Twilight Sparkle, or I’ll blast you with a saturated laser grid.”

Twilight looked back and forth frantically, and then slumped. Sunset let out a breath she hadn’t realised she was holding.

“Much better,” said Sundown, back to her playful tone. She leapt down from her robot and stalked around Twilight, who was just obediently standing still. “Twilight Sparkle. What are we going to do with you? Such a great inventor, and a fascinating magical gift too. Micro Chips would love to collaborate with you to make equipment for me. But you seem less than keen to work with me. A bit too much spirit.”

She walked around to where Sunset still hung, suspended by a vacuum tentacle. “And here we have the girl calling herself Sunset Shimmer,” Sundown continued in that insufferable tone of hers. “The leader of the group, and the one who most often fires the magical laser.” Walking up close to Sunset and leaning her head right into Sunset’s personal space, she continued, “But apparently you don’t have any specific magical talent of your own. I wonder why that is?”

Sunset muttered, “You might want to check your sources.” She swung an arm up and touched the exposed skin at Sundown’s neck.

FLASH

A young red-headed girl brawling with a larger boy, but coming out on top.

FLASH

A young filly trotting confidently into Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. She’s where she’s meant to be at last, and the future is bright before her.

FLASH

A teenage gang leader shaking in fury as her gang desert her. She picks up her switchblade and motorcycle helmet and heads for a new town.

FLASH

A proud student furiously raging as armoured guards escort her out of the princess’s presence.

FLASH

A runaway girl forging a letter to a bank. As she checks some details, a mote of magic drifts down and lands on her pen, turning it blood red. She picks up the pen curiously.

FLASH

A humbled bully climbing out of a crater. She looks uncertainly at the group of girls holding out hands to her.

FLASH

A thief experimentally pointing a red pen at a locked door. It swings open.

FLASH

Sundown recoiled from Sunset’s touch. She rubbed her neck, staring at Sunset. “You’re… a unicorn? You’re literally a magical alien from another world.”

Sunset fell limp. “What… That’s never happened before!”

“You came to Earth through a magic mirror,” continued Sundown in the same wondering tone. “You’re the invader and I’m the real Sunset Shimmer!” She gave a manic laugh. “And you used to be a villain like me! Bwahaha!”

Twilight exclaimed, “Sunset! What happened?!”

“Allow me,” Sundown interjected gleefully, though Sunset noticed a slight tremble in her voice. “It turns out your friend here is not as powerless as I was led to believe. She has the magic power of mind-reading, and she tried to read my mind. Except… for some reason that she hadn’t predicted, her touching me also allowed me to see her history. And it explains so much!”

“It must be because we’re the same person,” muttered Sunset. She looked up and gazed steadily at Sundown. “And yes… it does explain so much. Your life was much like mine, wasn’t it? You made the most of a bad hand life dealt you. Except you haven’t met your Elements of Harmony yet.”

“Much like yours?” said Sundown incredulously. “You were apprenticed to a literal princess! And when you threw that away to come here, you were content building power in a school… until you gained magic and, what, planned to use an army of teenage zombies to attack your homeland?!” She laughed derisively at Sunset Shimmer, who was acutely aware of the flush on her cheeks, and wishing the vacuum-bot would just swallow her up.

“Okay, I’ll be the first to admit I made some bad choices,” she said dejectedly.

Sundown had started staring into space again. “This changes everything,” she said speculatively. “There is a world where magic is commonplace. And it’s easily accessible from this city!”

Suddenly her demeanor shifted, as though she’d reached a decision. “I need time to think through the implications of this. I’m going to keep you two here for the night. Maybe I’ll get a ransom for you or something. First I need to work out what to do with these new opportunities.”

She pressed controls and the vacuum-bot’s other hose picked up Twilight. The robot lifted the two girls through the air and deposited them both inside the giant microwave. Sunset ran for the door but it closed with startling force.

“Don’t worry, I won’t turn on the radiation,” Sundown said mockingly. “I still have hopes of persuading you to work for me. If I’m staying in this world at all.” She patted the microwave droid on the side and said, “Back to your charging station for the night. See you in the morning, girls.”

The robot set off slowly driving into the darkness of the warehouse. Sunset and Twilight looked helplessly at each other as the light faded into the distance.

Comments

[Roboman3000]

this Is bad

[FanOfMostEverything]

Sunset frowned. “Our friends cancelled of their own accord.”

That was your own blasted deception, you stupid horse.

[AlexTFish]

10499371
Heh. My excuse is, Sunset's only known of the existence of Sundown for a couple of days. She hasn't thought through what kinds of tricks she's likely to play yet.

I had been strongly considering ending this fic with Sundown on the run and vowing revenge in a "I'll get you next time!" kind of way, setting up for a sequel or series. In that case, subsequent stories would definitely have both Sunsets carefully thinking through the other's techniques and MO to be prepared for it.