Hostile History

by Jest

Chapter 13

Sunset stared between her friends, observing their expressions of confusion and despair. She knew exactly how they felt, and she could hardly blame them. They had been so crushed by the horrors they had seen that returning to ordinary life took active effort. They were like soldiers returning home after serving on the battlefield.

They were broken.

She shouldn’t have been surprised, then, when Applejack was the one to finally speak. “I ain’t gonna deny that there could be somethin’ I’m missing,” she began. “I ain’t clever like some of you. I have a practical way a’ dealing with things. But I’m not sure why we would do anything different. We got out, and Sunset’s new friend says we’re home free. Maybe we shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Just accept what we’ve been given, and go back to school like nothin’ happened.”

More uncomfortable silence. Nopony seemed to want to be the next to speak. But eventually Rarity did. “I hate to point this out, darling… but there were deaths. I don’t think the powers that be are going to be content to forget everything that happened. They’re going to be out for blood. Or justice, more optimistically.”

“And we aren’t responsible,” Twilight stated firmly. “It was…” She shuddered, looking sick. “It was horrible. I’m sure I’ll have nightmares about it, maybe some of you will too. But they had security cameras, sensors. We were in our cells the entire time. They have to know that.”

Sunset shifted uncomfortably in her chair. She wanted to argue, more out of wanting them to be wrong than believing they really were. “I don’t know if Perfect Tempo could destroy records of us or not. He claimed that he had influence over the organization, whoever they were. A pony from Equestria would make a great fit for the ones who look out for supernatural threats. From the way he said it, they went rogue when they captured us. He had to be personally involved to stop them.”

“We could run away,” Pinkie Pie whispered.

The girl’s hair fell straight across her face, obscuring her eyes. She wrapped her arms tight around her knees, shaking slowly back and forth.

“I know, uh… we all know somewhere we could go,” Pinkie glanced expectantly at Sunset. “Equestria would take us in, wouldn’t they? Find us a place to hide until we… weren’t being hunted anymore?”

A few months ago, Sunset would’ve answered that question without even thinking about it. Now Sunset had to pause and consider, and she didn’t like the answer she came up with.

“There’d be somewhere for us,” she hesitantly replied. “It’s a big country. You all would have to adapt to it the way I did, but… it could work. You’re good friends, and that goes a long way in Equestria. I think.”

“No,” Twilight cut her off, glaring suddenly around the room. “There’s no reason for us to give up, girls. We’ve been preparing our whole lives for this moment. In another few months, we’re off to college, to lives we’ve been waiting for. You know what happens if we run away now?”

Twilight waited a few seconds, growing more frustrated with each moment that passed without someone agreeing with her. Yet despite the obvious answer the young girl was fishing for, noone seemed ready to give it to her. Even Sunset herself couldn't bring herself to offer the words she knew Twilight was searching for.

“We give it up. If we hide in Equestria for the next decade, I know for damn sure we can’t transfer our transcripts or anything. Even if they have colleges over there, the degree you get isn’t going to magically transform when you come back,” Twilight exclaimed.

“Or, you know, our families?” Applejack muttered. “I ain’t gonna run away from Granny and mah little sis. Big Macintosh could handle himself, but… the others need me.”

“I just thought I’d ask,” Pinkie muttered, sinking deeper into her chair. “Thought we should… keep our options open.”

Fluttershy reached over to her, wrapping an affectionate arm around her shoulder. “That’s alright, Pinkie. We’re here, it’s okay,” whispered the shy girl.

It seemed to help, but Pinkie was still shaking. She’d been cut deeper than most of the others. Or maybe she was just worse about hiding it, Sunset thought to herself.

“I think we should leave it as a last resort,” Sunset proclaimed. “It’s my world, I’d fit in fine if we went back. But I don’t see why we should have to give up everything because some people got a little too evil and tried to arrest us. Besides, Canterlot needs us. If monsters like that dragon-thing come back, who’s going to fix it? Sheriff Silverstar couldn’t stop it. We’re the line of defense against magical threats. Equestrian magic came to us, even here. Are we really going to abandon the city?”

“We’ll I’d be open to not going to college or whatever,” Rainbow Dash offered weakly. “I still wanna play but after everything soccer feels so…. small.”

“My little fashion business I have right now is enough to support me, but I don't think I would leave completely… unless I have no other choice,” Rarity admitted. “I don’t want to go back to a cell. I don’t want to spend my life in prison because of something we didn’t even do. If they come for us again, I say we run. That way no one else has to get hurt, and we don’t have to go back to that awful place.”

“Agreed,” Pinkie replied quickly.

“Me too,” Fluttershy added. “Besides, I never really had much interest in that college thing anyway. So long as there are some animal shelters that need volunteers… I’ll be fine.”

Applejack folded her arms, then finally relented. “Ah guess so. It would be better to run away than put my family in danger, but only if we have no other choice in the matter.”

“And in the meantime…” Twilight continued in a slightly defeated tone. “We can’t keep missing school. I’ll go in this afternoon and talk to the principal. Hopefully the DSA filed the right paperwork, and we haven’t been racking up unexcused absences the whole time.”

“Most of it was fall break,” Rarity muttered bleakly. “So much for my spa week, and the class field trip. There truly is no justice in this world.”

On the one hand, Sunset almost thought she should be horrified that her friends were talking about everything so casually now. But on the other, this was probably a sign of healing. If they were doing things besides talking about the horror they’d seen, then they were probably recovering at least a little bit anyway.

I wish the pony Twilight had actually cared enough to read my stupid letter. This would be so much easier if we knew who Perfect Tempo really was. I’m still not wholly certain he hadn't been the one to send those monsters. The timing is just too perfect. Sunset Shimmer thought to herself.

“Tempo offered me a job,” Sunset offered, noticing that the room had fallen silent again. “If I’m in contact with him I can try to figure out how much control he really has. See if he actually kept us safe, or if he’s going to try to blackmail us with it. I… don’t know why he would, but he’s the only unknown right now.”

“Good idea,” Twilight quickly replied. “But be careful, Sunset. Keep a phone close by in case he makes you uncomfortable and remember you don’t owe him anything.”

Sunset rolled her eyes, but didn’t have the strength to muster up an argument. It didn’t surprise her that these humans didn’t understand that ponies just weren’t that way. Some cultural barriers were hard for them to understand. In a way it depressed her, considering the conditions they had to live in here on earth.

“I will,” Sunset remarked after a long pause. “But I don’t think it will be anything like that. He’s from Equestria, so it will probably be something magical related.”

“Just don’t let it distract from school,” Twilight cautioned. “We’re going back tomorrow, that’s all of us. Unless my meeting with the principal goes much worse than I imagine, I mean. It might, but… Celestia likes us. I’m sure she knows it’s not our fault.”

A single glance around the room was enough for Sunset Shimmer to figure out that it was only due to Twilight’s leadership that anyone else in the room was willing to even go back to school. They were worn out, and more than likely wanted to do nothing more than spend a month at home just processing what happened. Twilight however, was insistent that they wouldn't sacrifice their future no matter how much of a break they had earned.

It was sweet that she cared so much, but Sunset Shimmer wondered if Twilight was pushing a little too hard.

After that they talked for a few more hours, though it wasn't about anything in particular. Boys, movies, and anything but the horrors they’d seen, no matter how unenthusiastic they were. Sunset Shimmer could feel the terrible undertones waiting just below the surface from their time of abuse and solitary confinement. At least, she assumed the others had been treated that way given how beaten down they looked.

Sunset herself was in no hurry to get rid of everyone, not after what she’d been through, though she half expected to be left alone herself before too long. Noone else seemed eager to leave either, each member of their little group taking strength from the presence of others.
Sunset Shimmer couldn't help but imagine the military would be waiting just seconds away, to drag them off into the dark never to be seen again. Despite the evidence to the contrary that slowly grew larger with each passing moment they were unmolested.

As her friends talked, Sunset caught herself glancing out at the window, wondering if she was crazy to be staying on Earth after all she’d been through. Clearly the humans didn’t want them here, or at least some humans in power didn’t. That was obviously her cue to get back to where she’d come from.

But she didn’t want to go, not anymore. Equestria had rejected her, and the people of Earth hadn’t. She had friends here.

Because of the Elements of Harmony. It manipulated your mind, twisted your will. Stole your freedom. You only imagine it to be the way you should be because you’ve been programmed. I will set you free. Sunset Shimmer thought.

She imagined she could hear Perfect Tempo’s voice even now, whispering into her ear. She quickly banished the thought as it was clearly impossible. Obviously he wouldn’t have damaged a potentially useful ally with the use of mind magic. She was understandably on edge, that was all, Sunset Shimmer rationalized.

Eventually they all headed out. Twilight left for the school, and Sunset almost joined her. But then the other girl mentioned something about Timber, and Sunset’s desire to come along faded into the background. No, she did not want to be the third wheel to that reunion.

Too bad we weren’t locked up together. That would’ve been the perfect opportunity to show Twilight that Timber doesn’t deserve her. Sunset Shimmer thought to herself only to shake her head. No, she deserves to be happy, and I wouldn't sabotage that no matter how much I want to be with her.

Sunset’s phone rang sometime late afternoon, with an almost nervous politeness about it. She picked it up, and was unsurprised to see Perfect Tempo was now in her contacts.

“Hello?” Sunset Shimmer inquired nervously.

“Sunset Shimmer,” he stated, his tone as unerringly polite as ever. “I don’t suppose you’ve had sufficient time to recover yet? There are some matters I would discuss with you regarding future employment.”

“I think so. I’m… not going to get over what I went through overnight, but staying still isn’t going to help. I’d rather be out and doing something,” Sunset Shimmer remarked, her confidence building with each second.

“Spoken like the pony I know you to be,” Tempo proudly exclaimed. “I’ll send a car for you. If you have any spellcasting tools, I suggest you bring them.”

“You aren’t going to force me to do anything, right?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

It felt like a stupid question to ask as obviously he could lie, and she’d have no way to know. No way to argue, probably. Accepting his help in living here had shifted the balance of power between them in a way that she couldn’t easily escape.

“All that stuff about the Elements. I don’t want any more magic in my head,” Sunset Shimmer added hesitantly.

“Compulsion is Celestia’s tactic,” Tempo answered simply, clearly unoffended. “Molding her servants to act in a certain way, forcing them to fight for her, then destroying them when their power frightens her too greatly. I will never do that to you. I won’t ever strong arm you to work for me. I wish only for you to hear me out. If you would rather return to your ordinary life, consider the apartment yours until you no longer need it. I have numerous properties across this nation, most for investment purposes only you understand. These humans might be magically impotent, but they’re clever in some other ways.”

Exactly the words she wanted to hear. He didn’t seem to want to force her into anything. She could walk away at any moment. But my Sushi job exploded. Even if I do have this great place to live, I need spending money. And if there’s a way to use my magic here on Earth, I wouldn’t want to say no. Sunset Shimmer considered.

“I’ll come,” Sunset Shimmer replied after a short pause. “I don’t have anything magical, though. There’s a rock that used to have some power in it, but it’s in me now. I just sorta… do my magic, like the girls do. No spellcasting required.”

There was silence on the line, then, “I feared as much. We have much remedial ground to cover. Prepare yourself, I’ll send someone for you in an hour. It’s time you met the family, and learned what it is I’m engaged in. I think you’ll find it… familiar.”

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Comments

[verypeeved]

It didn’t surprise her that these humans didn’t understand that ponies just weren’t that way

are they? or were you simply sheltered enough to not experience it? hell, most humans will never encounter that sort of thing in their whole lives, or know anyone who did. it's only because of the free and raid flow of information that we are so aware of it. in a place like Equestria, where information is anything but free or fast, well... it could easily be just as common. more, even.

[Luviere]

Twilight, darling, i love you... but kindly piss off. I don't understand why Twilight has to be the leader. I genuinely do not understand. Sunset is supposed to be the group leader. In the show she usually takes command of that title, she is the one who comes up with a plan. I get that Twilight is supposed to be a counter part to Princess Twilight, but not even equestria girls made her the leader. Please don't make Twilight the leader.

[Jest]

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