Eventide, Evenfall

by Former Unicorn

Storm of Swords, Rainfall of Arrows

Six girls, accustomed to the world working in a far different way than what they were seeing now, still couldn’t quite comprehend what was before them. Right now, the six of them—as well as the adult with them—all had the same thought: maybe childhood wasn’t so bad after all. After all, the folly of youth didn’t include the metaphorical slings and spears of life … or the very real slings and spears being pointed at them at the very moment.

As the adult, though frightened out of her wits, Jenny did what all parents and mothers would have done in the circumstances and pulled the six girls as close to her as she could, as a dozen men, appearing like hardened criminals dressed up like renaissance fair rejects, wielded primitive weapons at them. But what made it impossibly insane was that these strangers … had hair and eye colors like nothing in this world. And while it was possible they were dyed as such, they didn’t seem the type.

A big, burly man carrying a sword nearly as long as he was, gave them a cruel smile. “I haven’t had a woman’s touch in a while,” he said, leering them up and down. “Think her ladyship would mind?”

Across from them, standing with a staff but no less relaxed, another man grinned. “I doubt our leigelady would mind at all, Canterwell. Spoils of war and all that. Besides, we’re only here to kill our quarry; there’s no rule saying what we can and can’t do with anyone else around.”

“Aye, and who’s going to stop us?” a third said, raising his hand, as a glow of light appeared in his palm. “In fact, I say take them with us—we can keep them around the barracks for comfort. I doubt this world will miss them.”

Watching the group, Yu looked at the man’s hand with both horror and fascination. “Is that … magic?” she voiced.

“All that and you’re focusing on that?” Sabrina yelped. “They’re talking about raping us, Yu!”

“Oh, fuck no—they’re not touching any of us,” Jamie snarled, her hands balling into fists.

“That makes two of us,” Rayne countered.

“Girls, let’s not agitate the people with swords and spears pointed at us,” Jenny reasoned. She didn’t want what they had in mind any more than either of them did, but at the same time she was trying to keep them safe while trying to figure out how to do so. And with all of the other adults of the combined households not present, it wasn’t very clear that the cavalry was going to come in time, either.

Canterwell, meanwhile, looked at Jamie, his eyes malicious in what they intended. “Oh, I like you, little missy,” he said, rubbing a mailed finger over his broken nose. “I like it when they fight. Just makes me insist I get what I want in the end.”

As if to make things worse, thunder sounded above them, and within seconds, a torrential rainfall began to pour down on the group, soaking everyone as the very skies seemed to weep at what was to come of the girls.

“Cry all you wish while you still can, you mewling quims,” the magic user taunted, his smile growing as their fear became more obvious. “By this time on the morrow, none in this world will remember you, and you will have new lives gracing our beds!”

“Or,” an angry female voice said behind him, “perhaps you can learn manners in the next life!” Without warning, two blades skewered through his chest and he spat out blood seconds before he fell to the ground, dead. Behind him, holding two short swords and dressed in a cloak and what appeared to be leather armor, was a woman in her twenties, bearing the same strange hair colors—three different shades of blue—and with piercing orange eyes.

The swordsmen turned to the swordswoman. “How did you get here?” Canterwell snarled. “I thought I killed you in Trotters’ Pass!”

The woman smiled as she shook the blood off her blades. “I am her majesty’s paladin—do you think a traitor such as you could finish the likes of me?”

A second voice called out, “I don’t think he thinks much at all, Indie.” Out of the shadows came a similarly-dressed woman, with long rose-colored hair streaked with aquamarine. She bore a sword as large as Canterwell’s. “But the Usurper has never been known to pick intelligent soldiers—only mindless dogs.”

“Watch your tongue!” one of Canterwell’s men said as he quickly pulled back on his bow and fired at the newcomer. The arrow sped through the air, to no avail, as the woman breezily plucked it from the air before it struck true.

“Yawn,” she said in a faux-bored tone. “Indie, would you?”

In response, “Indie”’s hand glowed with an orange hue, and with blinding speed, she moved towards the archer and decapitated him with one blow. “Done and gladly, Sour,” was the response.

Sour, in turn, raised her sword at Canterwell. “This is your only chance, traitor, before I end you,” she intoned darkly. “Surrender while your head is still attached to your neck. You have my word that her majesty will be merciful, though you will spend the rest of your days in jail, as you deserve!”

“The only thing that I deserve is to break that bitch you call a queen on her husband’s dead and rotting body!” Canterwell snarled, raising his own sword. “I will take her and when I spend myself on her I will make sure that the true queen of Equestria laughs at every moment of her pain!”

A momentary sad look came over Sour’s face. “And to think I called you brother once and that I loved you,” she said sadly. “Look at what you have done to our family. I call you brother no longer. Taste my broadsword, traitor—and I will free our family from the shame of your name!”

The rain fell in sheets as the two carrying broadswords faced off against one another. The other looked at the remaining enemy combatants, her hand glowing like a star, ready to make a move if they did anything. Meanwhile, in the center of it all, six girls and a woman stared in shock and horror, wondering how their lives went from typical Montana normal to something out of the worst parts of dark fantasy in a matter of seconds.

Thunder sounded.

A light flashed.

---

“C-c-old …” Warren said, slurring his words as his lifeblood ran out. “S-so c-cold.”

Sunset frantically panicked, screaming for help, unsure of what else to do while her boyfriend died in front of her. Meanwhile, Sunrise, moving on automatic, only had one thought come to her mind: protect her sister.

“Listen bitch,” Sunrise said as she moved in front of the two and put up her fists, “I don’t know what fucking circus you just came out of, but take one step near us and I’m going to beat the fuck out of you.”

The woman laughed. “Foolish child, you couldn’t beat anything out of me—you’re no trained warrior and couldn’t handle one of my men, much less me!” Dark rose-colored eyes seemed to bore into Sunrise. “You’re just a frightened little girl, and whether or not you are a shade or no means little difference. I will kill you as my queen warrants!”

The woman raised her sword, and a sickly green mist surrounded it; strangely enough, Sunrise noted that the sword had a ruby in the center of it, glowing like a star. “Bear witness to the Sword of the Sirens—the ancient blade of my ancestors! Be honored as it takes your life!”

“No.”

Sunrise knew that voice—and to her surprise, it didn’t come from her.

Sunset took her sister’s hand and looked at her. Tears streaked across Sunset’s face, but the look in her sister’s blue-green eyes was one that Sunrise saw rarely—and learned to tread lightly around when she did. “Rise, do what you can for Warren,” she pled. “I’ll deal with this.”

“Sunny, I—”

“Please. I don’t know why, but I need to deal with this,” Sunset said.

“Okay.” Rise immediately backed down and moved to Warren’s side. “I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

“So do I,” Sunset said as she faced the woman with the sword, just as the rain outside the gazebo began to fall.

The woman looked at Sunset as she moved in front of her sister. “So the first one was a shade after all. Well played—I almost believed otherwise.”

“Look, I don’t know who you are or whatever you think,” Sunset said, “but I won’t let you hurt anyone I care about anymore.”

“Oh? And what will you do? You have been in this world for years, apparently—you likely have no ability for the Arts left. Unless you have some miraculous way of stopping me, you are as good as dead, Princess—and even if you stop me, my men will put an arrow through your heart just as they did with your paramour there!” The woman took a step forward. “This little charade of bravery has only served to waste your last breath!”

Sunset, at that moment, knew fear. She was afraid that Warren was dying, and that she and Sunrise would be next. Sunrise was the better fighter, so why did she step into this mess? Every instinct in her told her to run, to hide, to do something to save her life. But at the same time, something else in her told her that if she did, her friends and family … they wouldn’t be safe. If they came after her, everyone she loved would be in danger.

And Sunset hated that worse than the threat this stranger made on her own life.

“Better to waste my breath protecting people than cowering in fear,” Sunset replied, with words that felt strangely familiar.

“Words I know well.” A new blade, one seemingly made of glass, suddenly jutted between Sunset and her assailant. “No, Adagio Dazzle,” a voice intoned. “The only breath you waste is your own!”

Adagio jumped back, her sword at the ready as she laughed gleefully. “So the lead rebel enters the fray? This is my chance to prove myself when I take your head back to my queen, you traitorous bitch!”

To Sunset’s surprise, a woman the same age as this Adagio person stepped forward, with her own sword ready for battle. She wore clothing that looked like she was from a marching band, and her hair was dyed in pink, purple and golden locks. She faced off against her foe with a determined smile on her face. “The only queen you serve is the Usurper, Adagio, and a mercenary like you doesn’t even truly do that! Tell me, how much is she paying you for you and your sisters’ services?”

“Enough to kill you where you stand!” Adagio snarled, swinging her sword at the newcomer …

… who easily parried it with her own. “I may not have my husband’s skill at the sword, but I am no apprentice, either! I was taught by my sister, and I will not back down!”

“Then you will die! Archers, mages, end her, now!” Adagio thundered. But to her surprise, no answer came in reply.

“Oh, I’m sorry, were you expecting something?” Behind them, a newcomer stood, carrying a staff glowing with lavender light; around her, men stood with their visages frozen in various displays of shock, horror and anger, now turned into stony statues.

“I have dealt with them as desired, my liege,” the girl replied, adjusting copper-framed eyeglasses.

“YOU BITCH!” Adagio snarled. “YOU’LL PAY FOR THAT!”

“One battle at a time, mercenary,” the new swordswoman warned. “Or did you think you could take both of us on?”

The result of that was a scream as a new arrow jutted into the side of the mage present, and she hit the ground.

“Sugarcoat!” the woman screamed.

Adagio laughed. “Did you think I wasn’t prepared? I knew who I was potentially going up against,” the woman countered. “I knew to be wary. And though I wasn’t prepared for this, I still was prepared! Now, I have the chance to kill Equestria’s hope and the traitorous rebel! Prepare to die, Mi Amore Cadenza!”

Mi Amore Cadenza brought her blade to the ready, and it glowed with streaks of light blue and purple. “I fight in my aunt’s name and against the Usurper, traitor!” she snarled. “You will not win!”

“No, Princess Cadenza, it is you who will not win,” Adagio said, her manic smile filled with a terrible glee as she raised her sword.

Gunshots sounded out, and Adagio’s sword shattered into pieces. A second later, two more shots rang out and dropped the armored woman like she was a wet rag.

Several figures—officers armed with assault rifles and wearing tactical gear—appeared. “Drop your weapon!” the one in charge, apparently a woman, barked. The lead officer then added, “Get that boy some medical help and get that girl in the field as well. Take out anyone who puts up resistance.” Several more officers rushed out to the field, ready to do their duty.

Mi Amore Cadenza dropped her own sword and placed her hands open before her, the traditional symbol of submission. Though she knew these people had no magic, clearly they had weapons the likes of which Equestria had never seen before, especially ones powerful enough to break Adagio’s enchanted Sword of the Sirens and her armor as if they were kindling.

“Cuff her. I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but we’ll sort this out,” the lead officer said. “Where the fuck is the ambulance?”

One of the officers spoke into a radio on his shoulder. “Just called; medivac is on the way, but they’re tied up with the other group. We’ll do our best but—”

“Your best isn’t good enough right now!” Sunset, the momentary surprise of what was going on, shouted. “Save him, please!” Sunrise, not knowing what else to do, backed off and let the cop do his thing while she went over to help her sister. All she could do was take Sunset’s hand in hers and give a supportive squeeze.

A second later, a couple more men arrived carrying a stretcher. “Helo’s being shifted here, ma’am,” one of them told her. “It would make more sense to get him to County General, but the closest is our site medical station.”

“Do what you have to do,” the woman ordered. “I’ll clear it. The rest of you, round this shit up, both the witnesses and the suspects. We’ll sort this out later.”

“Roger that,” the man said. He looked at the twins, who seemed too close. “Okay, you need to back off and let these guys do their work, got that?”

“I need to stay with him!” Sunset pled.

“Sister, let these soldiers do their work. Was it not you who taught me that?” To Sunset’s surprise, the words came from the stranger with the tricolored hair—Mi Amore Cadenza.

“Do … do I know you?” Sunset asked her.

Mi Amore Cadenza finally looked at the woman she’d protected … only to find out that she was a girl. “How? Why are you so young?” she asked, her face a visage of shock.

“Who are you?” Sunrise asked.

“Two of you? What is going on, sister?” the woman asked.

“Okay, no idea what’s going on, but come with me, lady,” a third officer said, pulling a confused Mi Amore Cadenza away from them and leading her towards a helicopter that was landing. A slight distance away, a second had already landed, while two more hovered above. All of them were painted black, though as lightning flashed, a dark gray emblem on the side briefly showed, and it looked like something governmental.

“Are you two alright?” the lead officer asked Sunset and Sunrise.

“No! My boyfriend just got shot up, we got attacked by a woman with a sword and now we have another one with a sword that I’ve never seen before and is calling me sister and there’s magic and I don’t know what’s going on right now!” Sunset, finally having had enough, snapped and started bawling. Sunrise, always protective of her sister, wrapped her arms around her and cried as well, just as confused and terrified by the situation.

“I’m sorry. I should have expected this.” The lead officer pulled off her helmet, revealing long, shaggy red hair and blue-green eyes behind glasses.

“Mom?” both girls said at once, caught off-guard by the revelation.

“Yes.” Rebecca Shimmer looked at her twin daughters, with a guilty look on her face. “Girls … let’s get going. There’s a lot of stuff I need to tell you and a lot that I’d hoped to avoid—but it looks like I can’t push it off any further. I just hope your father will forgive me for all this.” She slung her rifle around her arms and hugged her daughters close to her. “But most of all I am so glad you’re safe.”

“Mom, what’s going on?” Sunset asked.

“My worst nightmares,” Rebecca replied.

Comments

[AJOKitty]

This third chapter makes things a lot clearer:

Equestria is ruled by an Usurper. My best guess is Nightmare Moon. Cadence is leading the rebellion against the usurper. Sunset Shimmer, presumably because of connections to Celestia, is wanted by the usurper. Maybe she is Celestia's daughter. Dagi and the other sirens were hired by the usurper to go to the human world and kill Sunset. Cadence and the pony doppelgangers of the Shadowbolts were sent by the rebellion to stop them.

The human girl known as Sunset Shimmer knows nothing of this, but has been have meaningful dreams. Her mother seems to be much more aware. It seems likely that the pony Sunset Shimmer fled Equestria a long time ago and became the mother of the human Sunset.