Chapter 1: The Sorceress
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“Hey, AJ… are we there yet?”
“No, Pinkie Pie. We’re no closer than the last time you asked; a whole ten minutes ago,” Applejack grunted from her perch on the rock outcropping that the entire group had decided to stop and catch their breath at. As it was, Applejack was the only one visibly unaffected by their self set rapid pace. Eager and well-rested at the start, everyone else in their party had eventually succumbed to various degrees of fatigue since the beginning of their journey the previous morning. Even Rainbow Dash had finally started to show signs of wear in the skin around her sharp eyes.
As Pinkie opened her mouth to continue her diatribe, Applejack held up a gauntlet-clad hand, cutting her off in mid-breath. “Same as the last time you asked me, ten minutes before that. And again ten minutes before that. If you’re that bored, why don’t you go pester someone else?” She then settled her gaze on the pink-haired girl, her forest green eyes set in a flat stare. “Or better yet, you can jes’ go on ahead and find Rainbow Dash. Ahm sure she could use the help finding out how much further it is we hafta go.”
Pinkie stiffened, flicking her eyes around the circle of gathered girls. Each one looked back with varying expressions of idle interest at the exchange. “Um, that’s okay; I think Dashie’s alright on her onesie.”
“Uh huh,” Applejack retorted, returning to her task of running a whetstone over the heavy blade of her battleaxe. The familiar schink sounded with each pass along the sharpened steel, adding to the snaps and pops from their hastily-started campfire. “Ah’m sure she is.”
What Pinkie was not going to say -- at least, in front of the others -- was how scary she had found Rainbow Dash these days. Most of the time the rainbow-haired scout was as loyal as they come; more than willing to bend over backwards for her friends, and stick together with them through and through. But over the last few days she had become angry. More withdrawn. Snippy. Not as fun as she used to be.
Though, really, she could say the same about any one of her fellow Knights of Canterlot. Out of all the recruits found at the Royal Barracks, only the most loyal, honest, generous, kind and -- oddly enough -- ones with best sense of humour, were counted among those as Knights. Though, how knowing a few good jokes helped with diplomatic entourages, search and rescue, and even assassinations, Pinkie didn’t know. But for some reason, Equestria’s princesses were adamant that those criteria were filled with looking for their most distinguished knights.
And boy, did Pinkie Pie know a good joke or two.
So, really, she wasn’t surprised that her and her friends were tapped for this little jaunt.
But, to locate and detain a defector… and from the Knights themselves…
Well, it was no wonder everyone was more than a little on edge.
“Now that you mention it, it is a little odd for Rainbow Dash to take so long…”
Pinkie blinked and turned towards Twilight, who sat on a stone, her staff resting across her thighs. Not a member of the Knights exactly -- Twilight Sparkle was actually a Princess of Canterlot -- but still more than capable with a staff and magic, it was she who asked for their help. Apparently, a former Knight and close friend broke into Twilight’s castle and stole her crown. What she planned to do with the crown was still not known, but whatever it was, it couldn't be good.
The fact that the target was a friend… formerly, at least… and allegedly involved with the princess probably had something to do with her coming to her friends for help rather than go through the proper channels to issue a locate and detainment order through the Knight’s hierarchy. This was personal, after all.
Naturally, the five of them agreed without complaint, even though Pinkie thought that escorting a mage and a princess was a little out of the usual line of duty.
Applejack, a traditional warrior and blademaster in her own right, apparently felt the same way. But being friends and comrades with Rarity -- another well-known sorceress -- tended to alleviate some of the tension that invariably exists between warriors and spellcasters. Twilight, on the other hand, while not a Knight like them, was still a good friend and deserved their trust.
For now, at least.
After all, if trust wasn’t an issue, why were they even there in the first place?
“You think she was captured somehow?” Applejack asked Twilight, laying her axe against a rock and stepping closer to the princess, crouching down to make it easier for the shorter girl to talk to her.
Twilight narrowed her eyes at the ground, shaking her head slowly. “The protection spell I put on her is still unaffected.” She paused, chewing on her words. “No… more likely she found something, and is making sure to bring back as much information as she can.” Then she smiled brightly at her companions. “That’s just how she is.”
“Yeah, well,” Applejack muttered, standing fully, “ah say we give her another thirty minutes, then we go lookin’ for her. What do you think Fluttershy? Rarity?”
Turning to the final pair in their party, Pinkie watched as the aforementioned girls finished their quiet conversation and then turn to address them. Fluttershy’s long, pink hair fell down in waves past her shoulders, and her butter-colored robes only served to accent the ever pleasant expression on her face. Her seafoam eyes, usually so wary and soft-looking, were a very unsettling shade of stormy blue-green, a tantamount to the seriousness of the mission they were undertaking.
At her side, wearing startlingly bright robes of purple and cream, Rarity was doing her best to act as unaffected as Twilight looked. Her dark, wavy hair fell in a glossy sheen around her face and down her back, but Pinkie could still pick out a few stray strands sticking out of the coiled mass of hair. She was clearly more shaken with the desertion than she let on.
Pinkie guessed it was actually Fluttershy’s calming personality that helped settle Rarity’s frayed nerves and split ends. As the kindest and quietest member of their group, it was all Fluttershy could do to keep up with the rest of them and still remain useful on the battlefield. On the other hand, with Rarity’s help, the priestess had made leaps and bounds with her studies in the mystical arts. Rather despising combat in general, Fluttershy made a conscious effort to concentrate on healing and assisting her comrades, rather than fight. Though, she was handy with a bow. Rarity, on the other hand, help no such reservations, and wielded magic with skill and precision.
“That seems fine. We would do well to rest a while longer,” Rarity concluded, locking her eyes with Applejack. All in the space of a moment, the two women seemed to have a conversation simply through their eyes, and then the sorceress nodded. “Our quarry thrives at night, therefore it behooves us to try and track her during that time.” She quirked her head slightly, gesturing to the priestess at her side. “On that note, Fluttershy suggested that it might be better for us to make camp and prepare for the rest of the journey tomorrow morning.”
Pinkie nodded, already liking where this was headed. She didn’t like fighting as much as Rainbow or Applejack did, but neither was she a pacifist like Fluttershy. But even though she had trained for three long years in sword fighting and combat alongside her friends… she still wasn’t up to their level.
She probably never would be, either.
“That sounds a-okay to me!” Pinkie chirped happily, ignoring the flat stare coming her way from Applejack, or Rarity’s disapproving tongue-click. Unstrapping her sword from her belt, she stretched and made to find a comfortable place to set herself down on the rocks to wait Rainbow Dash out, when Twilight’s sudden call startled her.
“Rainbow Dash! You’re back -- we were starting to worry…”
Blinking rapidly, Pinkie whirled around, totally shocked at what was maybe the first time ever that she had been caught off guard by anything, and held her sword out as though expecting an attack--
Only to see the girl herself, her rainbow-colored hair messy and wind-swept, cheeks flushed but rose-colored eyes still sharp, all but two paces from her. How the hell had Rainbow gotten that close without her knowing?
Well, duh… she’s a scout…
“Don’t know why you were worried; I’m awesome,” Rainbow replied, rolling her eyes. She arched her eyebrow at Pinkie and, when the girl lowered her sword, shrugged and nonchalantly breezed by her to stop in the center of the group. “Well, I’m not all that sorry for taking my time. After all -- can’t rush perfection.”
Muttering something about “You an’ Pinkie, lan’ sakes…” Applejack hefted her axe over her shoulder. “Jes’ tell us what you found, Rainbow Dash.”
Rainbow nodded and turned, pointing vaguely in the direction of setting sun. “Well, first off; I found the place where she’s hiding out. It’s about, oh… an hour away if we run.”
“Well, at least there’s that,” Pinkie said. “My dogs are barking!” She stuck her feet up in the air and waved them around lazily, adding a few ‘bow-wow’s for good measure.
“Riiiiiiight. Well, like I said, that’s the good news.” Rainbow frowned slightly, her entire countenance darkening. “The bad news is she knows we’re comin’. There’s a whole buncha traps and what looks like guards all around the area, and from what I saw, her defenses are only getting stronger. There’s only one little path that’s unguarded.”
Hissing softly through her teeth, Applejack grimaced. “Which means that not only does she expect us to attack sooner rather than later, but she’s also funnelin’ us right where she wants us.”
Fluttershy whimpered softly, and Rarity’s eyes glinted. “You suspect a trap.” It wasn’t a question.
Applejack faced the sorceress dead-on. “Knowin’ what you do of her, wouldn’t you?”
Rarity’s lips twitched in displeasure, and she nodded stiffly. Fluttershy shifted beside her, curling in on herself inside her robes.
“Um… pardon me…” Twilight suddenly said, her hand raised as if she were in a classroom.
Applejack shook her head and smiled softly at the princess. “Don’t you worry none, Twilight. We’re all friends here; it’s only right that you ask any questions you want. If we can, we’ll answer ‘em.”
Twilight flicked her eyes around the assembled group, and nodded slowly. “Right. Well, I know that we’re hunting the sorceress Sunset Shimmer. I…” Her face tightening and she looked down to examine her fingers laced around her staff. “...I know her pretty well, and that she is -- was -- a Knight like you all, but then she suddenly defected and suddenly went rogue. But how is it that she has guards?” She pursed her lips in frustration, looking back up at them. “Wasn’t she acting alone? She was when she broke into my castle.”
Rarity answered, stepping forward to address the question. “She is alone. Sunset always works alone.” Her lip curled slightly in an uncharacteristic display of anger and Pinkie felt her chest tighten at the expression, feeling sorry for her friend. The defection of Sunset must be hitting her hard if she was this affected.
“But then… why does she have guards?”
“Because, well… I’m sure you know this already, but not only is she a sorceress, but an extremely talented one, at that.” When Twilight nodded in agreement, Rarity continued, “She specializes in fire magics. At her best, she can conjure guardians of flame and ash to do her bidding, and her powers extend to physical prowess as well. There is a reason she usually works alone, even in suppression missions. She excels in both magic and combat equally. Even amongst sorceresses she is both well-known and exemplary.”
“Oh,” Twilight said, digesting that. She had to have at least known, being not only a princess of Equestria but also because she was romantically involved with Sunset, of at least a fraction of the force of nature that she was. But it seemed Twilight was as much in the dark as everyone else; no one really knew the full extent of Sunset Shimmer’s abilities... save for maybe Princess Celestia, as the sorceress’ former teacher. But as it was, it seemed Twilight and her entourage were to remain ignorant about what they truly up against.
“Well, be that as it may,” Applejack said at length, touching the handle of her axe and shifting in her mail. “Thanks to Rainbow Dash here, we know where Sunset’s holdin’ out. Ah say we move out now while we still can.”
“What?” Pinkie sputtered at the same time Rainbow cried, “When she knows we’re coming?!” Pinkie was honestly dismayed at the idea of losing out on her nap.
Rarity fixed Pinkie with a look, and then shifted her attention to Rainbow. “She knows we’re coming regardless, and her defenses only grow with time. Best to strike while the iron is hot, if you’ll pardon the expression.”
Grumbling, Rainbow folded her arms over her chest. “Fine, fine… are we taking the unguarded pass? If not, I can take us through the least guarded pathway through the forest.”
Rarity spoke from her spot beside Fluttershy. “Sunset wouldn't expect us to take the simplest way. I wouldn’t, anyway. She likely left it unguarded for a reason, and therefore would not be wise to traverse. We should take the least guarded route.” She turned to Rainbow. “Please, Rainbow Dash, lead us there as soon as you are able.”
Smirking, Rainbow thrust her chest out proudly. “Awesome. Then lets get-”
Suddenly, Twilight shot forward and plopped her hands directly on the scout’s shoulders. Rainbow’s eyes widened at the contact, and Pinkie couldn’t stop the giggle that bubbled up from her throat at the girl’s suddenly beleaguered expression.
“Rainbow Dash, you are going nowhere until you sit yourself down and eat! As your princess and your friend, I command you!”
Blinking rapidly, Rainbow’s mouth works for a few moments, choosing her words. “You’re… commanding me and my princess… and my friend?” she finally settled on.
Yeah, Pinkie was confused, too.
Twilight didn’t answer; she just stared right back, her eyes shining with intent and determination. After a few moments, Rainbow finally acquiesced.
“Alright, alright…” she muttered, her cheeks pinking. “Geez, Twilight; you take this whole ‘friendship’ thing really seriously, don’t you?”
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Finding a way through Sunset’s defenses had been almost embarrassingly easy.
Between Applejack’s axe, Pinkie’s sword, Twilight and Rarity’s spells, Fluttershy’s healing and Rainbow’s hit-and-run attacks, it had been childsplay to break through Sunset’s conjured guards -- all of which, curiously enough, took the form of flame imps -- and make their way to the front of the manor itself. Fluttershy followed the party at the rear, ready to assist in any healing or defensive magic as needed.
As they approached the manor, Applejack and Pinkie led the way, their blades drawn and held at the ready. Rarity and Twilight guarded their flanks, Rainbow kept a keen eye on their surroundings, and Fluttershy had an arrow nocked and ready to fly at a moments notice. When they arrived at the main door they were unsurprised to find it locked. A quick scout around the perimeter from Rainbow told them that there was no other usable entrance, and as such their only way inside was secure.
“Weeeeell… this is sure a successful quest,” Pinkie quipped, tapping her lightly-armored glove on the large wooden door. She ignored Applejack’s heated glare, and shrugged. “So unless someone has a key, it looks like we have to--”
Ka-chink.
Just as she spoke, she tapped on the door a third time, and the door opened with a heavy clink and a groan. Pinkie blinked, and her grin widened.
“That works, too!” she chirped as the others sighed as one, but gathered into their usual formation all the same.
The inside of the manor was dark. Dark and hot. It was as if someone had stole all the warmth from outside and moved it all in, filling the darkness with stifling heat. There were no torches, no lamps alight, and only the light magic from Twilight and Rarity to guide them as they traversed the long, sweltering hallways. As they walked, it became apparent that the floors were slowly becoming more uneven and treacherous, making footing as difficult as it was finding safe doors to pry open. The manor hadn’t seemed very large from the outside, but from the inside, with the breath-stealing heat that all but swept the air from the bodies, it seemed like the largest and most unforgiving building any of them had ever been in.
Eventually, a smattering of light began to bleed into their vicinity from a larger room at the end of a long hallway, and as they approached it became apparent that the room itself was occupied. As they crossed the threshold as a party, with Pinkie and Applejack in the lead, everyone gaped at what they saw.
Braziers littered the walls at precise intervals, flooding the large, two-tier room with blazing light from the entryway all the way up to the high arched ceiling. The room itself was large; easily large enough to host a party of the highest opulence should one desired. Unfortunately, considering the master of the house, who was currently standing at the very top of the stairs, her bright teal eyes fixed on them as they finally paused at the very center of the room, it seemed as though a party was least on her mind at the moment.
Rarity stepped forward, eyes narrowed dangerously. “Sunset Shimmer! We, the Knights of Canterlot, have come to you with a Writ of Apprehension. You are hereby charged with desertion, defection, and theft of royalty. Come with us peacefully, and we will not be forced into action.”
Pinkie swallowed hard, her ever-present smile wavering the slightest bit. From what she knew of Sunset, the other girl wouldn’t be too keen on taking orders. She just hoped this wouldn’t end in a fight. She honestly wasn’t sure how that would go.
The sneer that Sunset sent their way was remarkably chilly in contrast to the heat of the room.
“How generous,” she said flatly, her soft, modulated voice echoing around the room. She stepped forward, her flowing, crimson-and-gold dress shifting around her legs as she walked down the steps with measured ease. Her long, wavy hair was loose, and fell down to her waist. She wore no armor, and bore not weapons. But Pinkie knew enough not to be caught off guard at the sorceress’ seemingly unarmed appearance. “And what, my I ask, will happen to me should I refuse to cooperate?”
This time, it was Rainbow Dash who answered, her voice thick with anger. “If you don’t surrender, then we’ll just use the Writ of Execution -- which we also have -- and will just up and kill you!” She pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing and her cheeks blazing. “Sunset… you were supposed to be our friend! We trusted you.”
Pinkie watched as Sunset Shimmer considered this. She finished her long descent down the stairs and finally stopped only a handful of paces from them. From this distance, Pinkie had to admit that the girl looked stunning as usual -- if you were into the whole ‘I’m a vicious sorceress and could explode at the slightest provocation and kill you’ thing like Twilight apparently was -- and it took extra effort to remind herself that they were here for Twilight.
Finally, Sunset spoke, her voice even as though she were reciting from a book. “I will do neither. I haven’t hurt anybody, and broken no laws save for desertion. I would appreciate it if you all not dictate to me what I have done and not done.”
“You stole my crown!” Twilight declared, stepping forward and pointing a finger up at the girl. “You broke into my castle and stole my crown from under my nose! That is theft of royalty -- a capital offense!” She paused, her chest heaving and her face a bright red. “Sunset… I thought you cared about me.”
Sunset blinked, looking at Twilight as if she finally noticed she was even there, and opened her mouth to reply when Applejack beat her to it.
“Sunset, never you mind what you did and didn’t do,” she said, fingering the handle of her battleaxe and shifting her weight from foot to foot. “The fact o’ the matter is, we’ve been ordered to bring you back to face trial, or put you down if you resist.” Then her face softened the slightest amount. “As a friend, please, don’t make this any harder than it already is.”
At that, Sunset bared her teeth and hissed, “What do you know of hardship? You, who don’t even know the full extent of what it is you are trying to accomplish. You, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and even Pinkie! You wallow around in ignorance day after day, year after year, always following whatever the Order would have you do. They give us a Writ, or a Holy Order, and off we go on our new task, taking commands like some mongrel. Why do we do these things? For what purpose, other than because it is our ‘duty’?”
She shook her head, her entire countenance suddenly tired. “No,” she said, turning her attention back to Twilight. “Your crown is now mine. You didn't even know the power you held, and I used you to take what belongs to me. I will no longer follow your orders. Leave me be. This will be the last time I request such from you.”
Pinkie flicked her eyes around her party, gauging their reactions. Both Rarity and Fluttershy, the priestess having surreptitiously slipped an arrow from the quiver at her hip, wore matching expressions of grim determination and resignation. Rainbow Dash and Applejack looked angry; hurt, and afraid. Afraid to fight their friend? Pinkie was. Twilight, though…
Pinkie didn’t know what to make of the odd look on the princess’s face. She just hoped she wouldn’t hesitate when the time came.
Beside her, Pinkie heard Applejack mutter a soft curse through her teeth, then grip her axe so tightly the leather grip creaked. “Alright then,” she said aloud, resolute. “That’s it. Ahm sorry it had to be this way, Sunset.” Then, turning her head only slightly to both address the others as well as keep Sunset in her line of sight, she said, “We got our orders. Take her.”
As Pinkie took a readying breath to steady herself, Sunset seemed to sigh softly from her place at the bottom of the staircase. As she released her breath, the air seemed to grow even hotter.
“Very well. If you insist. Let it not be said that I did not warn you.”
Applejack was the first to charge, her axe held low to the ground for a sideways swing. Pinkie knew Applejack’s strength in a fight was using her long reach and height to her advantage, and her swing coming around to cleave an opponent in half would have stricken even an inkling of doubt into the most stalwart of foes.
Sunset didn’t even blink.
With an almost negligible flick of her wrist, the air around her seemed to coalesce and erupt all in the space of a moment, forming a long, broad, blade wreathed in flame. It whipped through the air, keening out a noise not unlike a screaming teapot, and met Applejack’s strike as if it were a child’s swing at a training dummy. The girl tried to shift and parry, riposte and maneuver around it, but the flaming sword was too nimble and matched her blow for blow, pushing her back into a corner.
Pinkie gripped her sword and stepped forward to join her friend, when another wave of Sunset’s hand commanded the floor to set ablaze around her feet. Pinkie yelped, leaping backward to avoid the flames, but it seemed to follow her, slithering along the stone floor like serpents, sliding along her boots and snapping at her leathers, walling her in place away from the fight. She danced around, doing her best to avoid the bulk of the Pinkie-seeking flames, and trying to keep her eyes on the rest of the battle.
She yelped again when an arrow whistled by her ear, and then a thin string of flame shot out from Sunset’s hand, snapped up and cracked through the air, catching the arrow in mid-flight like some kind of trick at a show. When no second arrow came her way, Sunset turned her baleful gaze on the priestess and sorceress in the distance.
“Oh! S-sorry!” came Fluttershy’s stuttered apology.
Without so much as a word, Sunset lifted her hand and pointed towards the bow-wielding priestess. All around her, writhing flames sparked to life and seemed to concentrate on Sunset, and then reformed in the air as arrows; white-hot and deadly. With another flick of her wrist, the arrows loosed, again seemingly on their own, and screamed past Pinkie towards Rarity and Fluttershy.
Stepping past the priestess, Rarity joined the shorter girl in a quick chant in the Holy Scriptures, and the air around them shimmered with magic, bright lights forming around them with the intent to protect them from harm. It worked, as the flame arrows collided with the magic shielding the girls, loud chimes emitting as each arrow hit holy light.
Sunset wasn’t going to give the priestess another chance to fire another arrow, nor was she going to let Rarity cast an offensive spell. With another wave of her hand, her arrows, rendered to mere wisps of smoke and ash, reformed in the air around them, twirling around in mid-air and whipping back towards the shield. With the arrows continuously breaking, reforming, and slamming into their defenses, Rarity and Fluttershy were effectively out of the fight.
Then, just as Sunset turned her attention back towards Twilight, she slid forward in a practiced dodge, twirling on her heel and narrowly avoiding Rainbow Dash’s attack from behind.
“Ah, I was wondering what was taking you so long,” the sorceress drawled. “Should have guessed you were planning to attack me from behind -- like a coward.”
“I’m no coward!” Rainbow shot back, spinning her dual knives in her hands and hopping around on nimble feet. With the advantage of agility, she was in her element. She veered here and there, dodging Sunset’s whip of fire and with practices ease. “I knew you would see me coming.”
“Yes, well,” Sunset replied, pulling herself up to her full height, but still falling far short of Rainbow’s innate advantage. “You will still fail. If you get down on the floor and beg like a dog, I may let you walk away from here unharmed.” She smirked. “For past associations' sake, of course.”
Snarling, Rainbow darted forward, her blades flashing. “You’re dead!”
Sunset barely stepped back as Rainbow slashed out with her knives, moving her feet and arms as though Rainbow were only dancing with her, instead of intending to kill. The flowing dress Sunset wore swished and spun, its complexity not seeming to bother her at all as she ducked and weaved under the girl’s flashing blades. Finally, with an elegant spin, Sunset snapped out her leg in a powerful kick, connecting with Rainbow’s leg and causing her to trip. Sunset intercepted her with another kick, hitting her side and sending Rainbow crashing into the wall off to the side.
Rainbow groaned softly, tried to push herself up, and then crumpled to the ground.
And then Sunset finally turned her attention to Twilight. “And then there were only two.”
Twilight stood there, her staff held out before her as Sunset stepped close. Her mouth worked, and her eyes flicked from the fire sorceress, to Applejack still fighting with fire blade, to Rarity and Fluttershy defending themselves from arrows, to Pinkie still blocked by fire, and finally Rainbow, collapsed on the ground like a sack of vegetables.
She was alone.
She finally returned her attention to Sunset, and her face was set in determination. “Sunset Shimmer, I will ask you again. Will you desist, return my crown and allow yourself to be detained? Or will you force us to put you down?”
“How cute,” Sunset remarked, her voice dry and somehow still regal. “Your friends are all vanquished, or otherwise occupied, and you are the only one still capable of putting up any semblance of a fight. You know what I can do, and how little chance you stand against me, but you still feign as though you do. Why?”
Pinkie watched through fire as Twilight swallowed and stepped back, her staff held out, its focusing crystal aglow and aimed directly at Sunset’s chest, barely a thread’s width from the girl’s chest. Sunset didn’t even flinch from the direct threat.
“Because it’s what friends do,” Twilight finally declared. “I didn’t have to come with them. They could have come here without me to return my crown and detain you. But they are my friends; I would do anything for them. You’re hurting them… and that’s enough of a reason to defend them.” Her chin wobbled slightly as she visibly steeled herself. “Even from you.”
Something in Sunset’s face twitched, and her lips quirked up into a small, pleased smile. “Very admirable,” she said, tilting her head to the side. “It’s not often I find somepony with those kind of qualities. As it happens, it was that drive and single-minded determination that first attracted me to you. I found those qualities… desirable.”
That seemed to throw Twilight off her stride, and her staff lowered slightly. “Um… what?”
In a flash, Sunset batted away the staff against her chest and stepped forward into Twilight’s reach. She shot out her hands and grabbed one of the girl’s arms, pulling the appendage towards her. With her other hand, she reached out and wound her fingers in the fabric on her chest, just above her leather jerkin.
“Ah--” Twilight cried, jerking away to make for her staff -- which had skittered away out of reach -- but Sunset’s grip was tight on her arm and held her fast. “What… what are you--”
And then Sunset kissed Twilight.
Pinkie blinked, her predicament of being caged in fire momentarily forgotten as she watched Sunset wrap her arms around the princess and… and make out with her! That… definitely wasn’t expected. Or was it in the plan.
Was it?
Pinkie opened her mouth to call out to Twilight -- to any of her friends -- and get them to help, to free her, to do something to either capture or kill Sunset, to get her away from Twilight so they could team up and overpower her, to show her the power of friendship like Twilight always says, maybe even tell Sunset a joke or two to lighten the mood, and--
But then Twilight reached up and wound her arms around Sunset’s neck, pulling her closer and returning her kiss with obvious enthusiasm.
Pinkie’s shock turned incredulous. Just… what? Seriously? Was this actually happening right now? Was the princess actually forgetting that Sunset took advantage of her, broke into her room, stole her crown and deserted the Knights to do who knows what?
As if in answer, Twilight leaned back in a swoon and her foot popped up behind her, and Pinkie groaned.
Of all the times to make out with someone…
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“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Okay, timeout!” Applejack declared, standing from her chair and pointing an accusing finger towards Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle. They were still kissing, eyes closed and their hands winding each other’s hair, and were therefore unaffected by the glare being sent their way. “Are you tellin’ me that we dragged Twilight here through the portal for a three day weekend, went through a twenty-five hour long campaign, seven boxes of pizza and four pallets of soda, just so she an’ Sunset could suck each others face off?!”
“So it would seem,” Rarity said dryly, rolling her eyes as she leaned back in her chair and examined her nails. “While I don’t think it was the plan, they certainly made good use of it, didn’t they?” She smirked. “I should have known our newest couple would have used the opportunity to flirt a little bit at our expense.”
“Or a lotta bit,” Applejack huffed, plopping back down and frowning at the collection of figurines and charts littering the table they had set up in Pinkie Pie’s basement for the weekend. It looked as though their game would have to be put on hold for the time being… at least, until Sunset and Twilight could rein in their so-called ‘new couple’s romance’. “Can’t help but feel a lil’ bit used here.”
Pinkie crunched a mouthful of popcorn in her mouth. “Oh, come on!” she said around the buttery kernels. “At least they’re having fun!”
“A little too much fun by the looks of things,” Applejack shot back, as Twilight made a little noise in the back of her throat when Sunset tugged at a fistful of hair at the nape of her neck. “Alright, alright, how about comin’ up for a little air?” When her words went ignored, she snorted. “Anybody got a spray bottle or something? Lan’ sakes...”
“Hey, come on, let it go a little bit longer,” Rainbow said from her seat, grinning salaciously at the passionate display. “This is getting pretty good.”
“Seconded!” Pinkie chirped, slurping a soda through a swirly straw as she watched the steamy spectacle unfold.
Rolling her eyes, Applejack settled in with a bag of chips, popping them into her mouth with a satisfying, salty crunch. “Perverts.” Then she glared at both voyeurs across the table. “An’ that’s another thing! Haven’t you two ever heard of role playin’? Ah mean, you an’ Pinkie could have at least tried!”
“Oh, I’ll show you some role playing,” Rainbow shot back, her grin widening as she wiggled her fingers menacingly towards Applejack.
“Charming, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity arched an eyebrow at her. “At least Applejack and I know the importance of playing a good role.”
“Psssh, right -- what about Fluttershy?” Rainbow asked, earning a small squeak from the girl. “She actually apologized for shooting at Sunset! I mean, who does that?”
“I… I felt bad for shooting at her,” the shy girl mumbled, pressing the tips of her fingers together and hiding behind her long pink fringe.
“You were supposed to shoot at her,” Applejack deadpanned. “Kinda supposed to shoot the bad guys, aren’t we?”
“I still felt bad about it…”
At that moment, the door to the basement opened and standing there, balancing a stack of sodas in her arms, stood Twilight -- human Twilight. She blinked twice, re-balanced the drinks to push her glasses up her nose, and all in the space of a few seconds took in the situation:
Applejack angrily munching her way through a bag of chips.
Rainbow Dash wiggling her fingers at Applejack like one of those creepy hentai films she’s heard so much about (but never seen!!!).
Fluttershy hiding behind her hair (as usual).
Rarity looking distinctly put out and sitting stiffly in her seat, trying to avoid eye contact with everyone.
Pinkie shoving handfuls of popcorn into her mouth, watching Sunset and Princess Twilight with wide, excited eyes.
And Sunset Shimmer making out with her other-dimensional doppelgänger.
“Ooookay,” she said slowly, eyeing the display the other Twilight was putting on with Sunset warily. “Just what exactly did I miss?”
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The End