At the starting events of Anon-A-Miss, Sunset is cast aside and her torture begins…
Cast aside and forsaken as Anon-A-Miss, Sunset tries to find the strength to continue…but what she doesn't know is that companionship will come in the form of a four wheel demon…forgotten…heartbroken…angry
There is a legend older than Nightmare Moon, one of an evil more chaotic than Discord, darker than King Sombra, and more vile than Grogar himself. That story was passed from generation to generation, getting more and more embellished, getting darker and more horrendous with each telling. Of a cart or carriage with a heart and mind of its own one that only wanted love and acceptance, but only received scorn and hate. Of a changeling queen the only one of her kind that could become inanimate objects to gain affection.
Some called her a succubus, others a tantabus but nobody knew the truth, only rumors or dark stories. None believed the stories of an old worn out carriage that could repair itself and make the user go mad, none believed the accounts of insane stallions saying it was a cart making them hurt ponies, all but one. Starswirl the bearded heard the tales, he believed them to be true and he set out to do something none had done before, attempt to capture and imprison a demon that fed on emotions darker love.
When he found the monster she looked like a normal pony, no holes that changelings were known for, nor horn or antenna with wings. Sure her wings were webbed like a bat but, bat ponies existed Princess Luna proved that. No, what set alarm bells abuzz in Starswirl's mind was her coat was a blood red and her mane was as white as the purest pearl, even worse, her cutie mark was that of a carriage surrounded by red and white smoke. He knew he had found the culprit but how to deal with her? This question plagued his mind but only one answer came up: to keep Equestria safe he would send the beast away and lock it into a carriage, and hope none gave it enough love to escape.
Excerpt from Equestrian tall tales, chapter 78 The Carriage Mare.
1250 years ago Equestria
As Starswirl trudged down the dusty road, the air crackled with the symphony of nature as chirping birds and rustling leaves intertwined in a harmonious dance. Just when the weight of his search threatened to crush his spirit, he caught sight of her—a vision in white amidst the verdant meadow.
Approaching her with a determined gait, Starswirl couldn't ignore the sense of wonder that enveloped him in her presence. The shattered cart and the somber gaze that she fixed on the broken wheel tugged at his heart. Without hesitating, he summoned a gentle aura around the cart and its forsaken wheel, emboldened by the pulsating glow of his horn.
"I thank you, kind stallion," her melodic voice cascading like a serene brook, "but I fear I've no way of paying you for such an act."
"Think nothing of it, ma'am," Starswirl reassured, his voice steady and warm, "just helping a fellow traveler in need. I am Starswirl, and what pray tell is yours?"
Her laughter echoed gracefully through the meadow as she introduced herself, "I am Christine Fury. May I ask that you accompany me to the next town, good stallion?"
"I would be delighted," Starswirl replied, his heart buoyant with newfound purpose as he assisted Christine in securing the cart.
The windswept meadow bore witness to their chance encounter—a spark kindling in the vast expanse of Equestria, hinting at unforeseen adventures and uncharted emotions.
As the sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the dirt road leading to Ponyville, Christine and Starswirl walked side by side. The air was still, save for the soft rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze.
"I thank you for walking with me, Starswirl, and I'm so glad you aren't terrified of me," Christine said, her voice tinged with a mixture of gratitude and sorrow.
"Think nothing of it, Christine, but why would I be terrified of you?" Starswirl asked, turning to look at the mare beside him.
"Haven't you heard the stories? The ones about a mare who can change into a carriage?" Christine's voice trembled with emotion as she spoke, her eyes downcast.
"Are you telling me ponies believe that you are that mare?" Starswirl's tone held a hint of incredulity, disbelief evident in his expression. "How could anypony think that monster is you?" Starswirl's confusion was palpable as he sought to understand the absurdity of the situation.
"What is my cutie mark, Starswirl?" Christine's voice carried a weight of sadness as she redirected his attention to her flank, where the image of a carriage was imprinted. "When I was a filly, I always loved the carts nobility had," Christine's voice grew animated, a tinge of nostalgia coloring her words. "But we were poor and would never be able to afford one, so I built one. I still remember gathering wood and nails to build with, using my father's tools to carve what looked like to me beautiful images into the wood. It took me almost a year to build it." Her laughter tinkled like a wind chime, melodic and pure. "It was lopsided and not one corner was square, but as I showed it to my parents, they loved it, and we rode into town with it. And that's when it happened." Her laughter ceased as her voice faltered, and tears welled up in her eyes.
"What happened, Christine?" Starswirl's voice was gentle and soothing, a bridge for her to share her burden.
"Discord happened," Christine's voice turned venomous, the mention of the name eliciting a shudder from Starswirl. "He was apparently in town, terrorizing it as he would. He saw us enter town, mostly because of the light of my cutie marks appearance, I remember his talon claws snapping and nothing after that." She looked at him and he sat because her tears were flowing freely her webbed wings stretched into the air "I woke up with these" she hissed nodding to her wings, "I was in one of the medical tents and one of the unicorn doctors was checking me with magic, they told me Discord had changed the entire town into inanimate objects."
“You don’t mean to tell me” Starswirl started fearing the worst.
"Worse, Starswirl, so much worse" she said with sadness and a twinge of fear. "Because of the combination of magics, I found I could flow between my carriage, become incorporeal, and become my carriage" she said with dejection in her voice. "I have been to every great magic user and none can undo this curse, my next stop is the castle of the two sisters."
"I am one of the best mages in Equestria, why not come straight to me?" Starswirl asked, quite perturbed.
"I tried once, but I was called crazy . . . they attempted to lock me away so I fled." She said, "the two sisters defeated Discord, maybe. . . just maybe they can undo what he has done to me.”
Deep in the Everfree Forest two ponies and a wagon trekked on the well worn path to the Castle of the Two Sister. Silence had fallen upon the pair, their stories swapped and tears shed. It was no more than a short walk to the castle when the sisters alighted in front of the pair.
“Starswirl, who pray tell, is this?” Princess Luna asked.
“This my dear Princess’s,” Starswirl started turning to look at his companion. “Is Christine Fury, a victim of the chaos of Discord, she has come searching for a cure to the magic that has taken hold of her.” He finished as Christine stepped forward and bowed slightly.
“The carriage mare?” Princess Celestia asked, raising her eyebrow.
“That is what they call me your highness, but I have never hurt another. I only want this curse gone” She said, her voice barely a whisper.
“There is but one thing we can try, however it may not work and only turn you to stone” Celestia said, as the Elements of Harmony appeared atop Luna and her.
“I am willing to try Princess,” Christine said, as her eye’s slightly turned red.
As the elements washed over me, it felt like a cool fall breeze carrying the brisk hints of fall. Yet when I opened my eyes I felt no different. Looking at the princesses I saw that they seemed confused, like what had stayed the same shouldn’t have. Testing what had always been, my essence coalesced into the fine red mist I was used to as my conciseness flowed into my old worn cart, before flowing freely back out as I manifested once more.
“But.. I.. What went wrong?” I asked, sorrow filling my voice as tears accumulated in the corners of my eyes. “Why am I still cursed?” I asked, my voice rising “You can both move the celestial bodies and yet you can’t undo what that chaotic monster did to me!”
“We are truly sorry, if the elements can’t remove whatever chaos was Discord’s doing, then we’re afraid you’ve spent too much time with it.” Princess Celestia started.
“I’m afraid whatever was done to you is now irreversible.” Princess Luna finished as the tears in my eyes freely fell.
“No” I whispered, and yet with how quiet the courtyard had become, it felt like I had shouted it. “NO!” That time I did shout it, my tears giving way to anger, “There has to be something you can do, I’m tired of being treated like a monster in every town I go to. . . Like I'm going to just hurt every stallion I come across.”
“We truly are sorry, my little pony, but there is truly nothing we can do,” Princess Celestia said, her head hanging low in shame and sadness.
“Impossible!” I screamed, my anger burning red hot as my eyes landed on Starswirl. “Starswirl please. . .” I begged, my eyes wide as my lip quivered, “There must be something you can do?” The question floated dead in the air, the stallion stood away from the princesses and he just bowed his head.
“I am truly sorry Christine . . . but it is as the princesses say . . . there is truly no way to help you now.” he said, his eyes holding pity and sadness.
My anger boiled as red mist floated off from me and my cart in a dense slowly rolling fog. “You’ve yet to try the elements against my cart, perhaps that will set me free?” I asked as my anger blinded me to the truth they were speaking.
“I’m sorry Christine . . . but truly there is nothing that can be done.” Princess Luna said as a growl escaped my throat.
“If you wont do anything… I’ll do it myself” I said as I spread my wings. I filtered all the magic I could into my horn, not realizing Starswirl was doing the same. The lamps on the front of my cart started glowing a light blue menacing light. The starting of a soul song came over me, as I sang out, unleashing the fury that was in my heart and veins against the sisters, not realizing Starswirl had cast his spell at the exact same time.
Memory
Coming to feel like a tidal wave of sickness one would get after galloping far too fast, for far too long, my mind a haze of distortion and colors that flashed almost every shade of color on the visible spectrum. It all came to a head when I felt myself roll forward slowly and steadily, as if being pushed by some unseen force ever forward, when my mind finally gained clarity. I remembered my name, Christine… but how? Why was I here?
I felt as though I had no color, until I remembered that my body was toreador red with small iceberg white pinstripes… Pinstripes? While my roof was the same color as the pinstripes… Roof?
‘Nothing makes sense any more’ I thought to myself, but then I felt it, eyes under me, then rough hands opening my hood to peer underneath. I saw the red of my mist as I slammed the hood on his fingers, ‘How dare you’ I tried screeching, but nothing came out. I tried anything to get my voice to be heard as my driver's door was opened and someone sat inside, ‘He’s smoking’ I yelled in indignation, letting my fury out my doors locked tight as the seatbelt that was installed looped around his midsection and squeezed as I felt his life drain slowly out of him.
Chuckling to myself in glee, as no more people tried to hurt me, no one would ever hurt me again. I don’t know why I was afraid of men so much, but I trusted my gas tank to never lead me astray, even if my memories were foggy and it still hurt to think, I refused to ever be hurt again.
1978
I had sat gaining rust and dust, crumbling upon myself in this driveway for over a decade ever since the first person I fell in love with hung himself from the tree behind me. His brother refused to drive me, refused to love or care for me, until finally I saw him. His light brown almost gray skin standing out against the dark midnight of his friends, his mismatched eyes found the for sale sign…and I knew then it was love.
I learned his name while he was talking to the ‘man’ who wished to be rid of the ‘demon who took his brother’. I never took his brother. I loved him, just as I was falling for Discord. Oh how his name slipped effortlessly from my misty lips, his mismatched eyes sliding over my body not with disgust as others had before him, but with a care and a shine that only one other had shown. My engine rumbled as he turned my key, smoke pouring from my tailpipes as I whined about how horrible I looked and sounded, he only smiled and ran a comforting hand over my steering wheel.
I loved him for only a short few months, but in those months I killed for him, showed him he was being controlled by his family and his so-called friend. He tried to love another girl, he must have known how jealous I’d be, I’d already killed most of the awful boys who hated him and hurt me… they’d all pay eventually.
‘Sombra, Chrysalis… How I hated those names’ they’d tried taking my Discord from me, tried stealing him and twisting his heart away from my love. I’d finally finished the last of those horrible boys, but those two yet lived, together Discord and I set about to finally end them, remove them from this earth. When those crafty shitters tricked me.. they killed him, tore him from me.. I’d make them pay dearly for their transgressions.
They’d won, how horribly they’d cheated me, using a machine of great tonnage to crush me beneath its weight as their glee showed through to my ever present mist and form. I saw them come in the morning. They watched the man who owned this junkyard as he cubed me, and left me to rot in this desolate place with no love to be given to me, none to care as they hurt me beyond my wildest dreams.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"How could y'all do that to me, I told ya in secret and now everybody knows" said a tan girl with blond hair in a ponytail. She was wearing a stetson hat, flannel shirt, blue jeans and cowboy boots.
"Applejack, I swear it wasn't me," a tan girl with fiery red hair said. She was wearing a black leather jacket, tan shirt with a sun symbol on the front, frayed black jeans and biker boots.
"Yeah right Sunset" a girl with rainbow hair said. "I knew you never changed and you never will because you're an evil bitch."
"Rainbow!" A pure white girl with curly purple hair shouted. "Sunset might be evil, but you don't have to use such garish language."
"But it wasn't me, why would I try so hard to change just to throw it all away?" Sunset asked the three girls in front of her.
"Because you're an evil-" Rainbow started.
"Don't even finish that sentence Rainbow Dash" the pure white girl said. Turning to Sunset she continued, "look Sunset, your reputation isn't good enough for anyone to believe this isn't you-"
"So just leave and disappear" Rainbow finished for the white girl. Turning and storming away, Applejack glared at Sunset before following after Rainbow, leaving just the white girl with Sunset.
"I'm sorry Sunset, but-" the snow white girl started
"No Rarity, she's right," Sunset said, interrupting her. "I'll just disappear" and with her final piece said she hung her head and slowly walked away letting her tears slide down her cheeks and hitting the ground beneath her as she walked away from the three girls who were once her friends. As she walked away from the high school, where slowly her only friends in the world were forsaking her, she wondered if she could even keep her job working in the junkyard she had recently gotten.
As she continued walking her sobs lessened as her chest heaved less and less as her shattered heart slowly darkened into a cold and empty abyss of turmoil and self loathing. Her train of thought was a one way line into depression and thoughts of running a blade across her skin, thoughts of blood and two worlds of not one being caring about her or even missing her floated through her head. Looking towards where her destination lay she spied the beginning of the chicken wire fence that surrounded Grogar's Junkyard and Garage.
It took five minutes from the beginning of the fence to get to the entrance of the yard, casting her eyes onto the piles of scrapped clunkers, half wrecks, and antique autos. She continued her way to where her boss was more than likely planning to let her go, the giant eight bay garage to the right of the entrance. As she passed the scales for weighing whatever metal people brought in she entered the garage, through one of the open bay doors, turning to the right she focused her blood shot eyes on the old man who had given her the job, and was more than likely about to take it all away.
"Sunset!" The old man shouted in excitement. A grin plastered on his face as he turned down the radio near the 1975 Pontiac Firebird he was working on, grabbing a rag and wiping his hands somewhat clean of grease as he walked towards her. "How's my favorite employee… doing" he paused seeing her blood shot eyes, "what's wrong Sunset? Don't tell me you're still beating yourself up over that whole bullying debacle?" He asked with concern in his voice.
Sunset broke and the flood gates opened once more as she flung her arms around her boss and started letting her tears fall once more as her chest heaved in anguished ugly sobs. "Oh Grogar, i-it's worse than t-that" she stuttered out through shaky breaths, "my friends, t-they think I'm s-spreading their secrets online, a-and one of them told me I'd be better of just disappearing, and she's riiggghhhhttttt" she half screamed, her heart bursting with despair as her mind spiraled and shifted through every negative word she could think for herself.
"There, there Sunset, you and your friends will work through this, they have to notice how you've changed" Grogar said caringly, his left hand running gentle circles on her back as his right caressed her hair. "Tell you what" he started pushing Sunset back slightly so he could look her in the eyes. "I can handle the yard by myself for the day, why don't you go home and get some rest, take some time away from school and focus on getting yourself right up here" he said tapping her skull causing her to giggle slightly.
"Thanks Grogar, but if it's all the same, I'd like to walk around the yard for a bit, see if I can finally spot a car I want to get and work on" she said with a half smile hoping her boss didn't catch on to the pain in her voice.
"Well if that's what you want to do Sunset, I won't stop you, when you find the right one, drive her back here or grab the wrecker and haul her back here" he said with a smile on his face as he turned around to go back to the Pontiac he was working on.
Sighing to herself, she walked out of the garage, and took a right down the small dirt road that led into the junkyard. Walking slowly past the piles of iron, tin, and miscellaneous scrap metal, she turned left into the car lot where all the junkers and half descent beaters were. Walking down the road of smashed, wrecked, totalled and rusted out cars nothing caught her attention, until finally she came upon the final row of cars.
"No one ever comes back here, not even Grogar himself, they'll never find me" Sunset said to herself. As she walked past cars that were way past their prime and fixability, stopping in the middle of the dirt lane, she turned to the left to face one of the few tall and strong trees in the yard. Putting one foot in front of the other her depressed, and self loathing thoughts pounding in her head driving her forward to make a permanent solution to a temporary problem, one she couldn't find a way out of.
As she climbed up into the tree one branch at a time, the rope she had first hung in the tree after her whole demon problem was still lying gently on the branch. Her friends were there and helped her see she belonged without ever knowing they saved her life, as she turned around to face out across the junkyard, something strange happened, she caught the glimpse of faded red paint and rust. Casting her gaze to where the color was her breath was taken from her, as her eyes glazed over and became distant, slowly climbing back down the tree her eyes never left the sight of the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen in her life.
As her feet once more touched solid ground, her voices stopped talking, and she could feel her heart beating faster, her palms started sweating a little bit. Before she could even comprehend why she hadn't put the rope around her neck and jumped she was standing in front of the most beautiful car she had ever seen. Even though the toreador red paint was fading from the body, and the iceberg white on the roof and pinstripe were grimy and rust poked.
She circled the car unable to help but notice the white walls, though horribly weather cracked still held air. As she passed the driver's door, it slowly creaked open, twirling around to notice the door somehow opened in an invisible breeze. Slowly walking back towards the door, she took a look inside to see that the red and white seats where sun bleached and cracked and the windshield was smudged with small spider webbing cracks. Sliding into the driver's seat, she placed her hands on the wheel and slowly caressed it, as her right hand passed three o'clock on the wheel, the visor dropped open depositing the keys into her lap.
Picking up the key and name key chain, she couldn't help but notice the name and she smiled as she read it "Christine, a beautiful name for such a beautiful car" she said out loud. Still smiling to herself she decided to see if Christine would turn over, sticking the key into the mechanism, and shifting Christine into neutral, she depressed the clutch and turned the key. Causing the engine to slowly crank, trying again and lightly tapping the gas, the engine spun and sputtered until it roared to life.
Climbing one branch at a time, she reached the spot where she had first hung her rope after her demon problem. Her friends were there unaware they had saved her life. Suddenly, her eyes were drawn to a faded red paint and rust, taking her breath away, her eyes glazing over. Carefully, she descended the tree, never taking her eyes away from the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. As her feet hit the ground, a hush fell over her. Her heart raced, her palms started to sweat. Without allowing herself to think, she found herself standing in front of a toreador red car, the paint fading, the roof and pinstripe were grimy, rust poking through. Yet, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
She circled Christine, her gaze lingering on the white walls that were cracked and worn from the weather, yet still held air. As she passed the driver's door, it slowly creaked open, as if invisible hands had moved it. She took a few steps back and peered inside, taking in the sun-bleached, cracked red and white seats, and the windshield that was smudged with small spider webbing cracks. Sliding into the driver's seat, she let out a content sigh as her hands ran along the wheel. When her right hand reached three o'clock, the visor suddenly dropped open, depositing the keys into her lap. Picking up the key and name key chain, she smiled as she read the name "Christine" aloud. She felt a thrill of excitement as she inserted the key into the ignition, shifted Christine into neutral, and pressed the clutch. She gave it another turn, lightly tapping the gas, and the engine spun and sputtered until it finally roared to life. Christine was alive.
The powerful engine of Christine revved, and the sound of it filled the air. She put it in first gear and cautiously stepped on the gas. As the car started moving, The exhaust having long since rotted off, blue smoke poured from the tail pipes, slowly shifting into first Christine lurched slightly as her transmission ground slightly finding the gear. Putting light pressure on the gas pedal once more, Sunset let off the clutch letting Christine roll forward, cranking the wheel to the right Sunset slowly drove Christine through the rows of cars and scrap. Engine skipping, belt slipping, and smoke rolling off the back of the car, Sunset brought Christine back to the open bay door, turning hard right once more she depressed the clutch and brake letting Christine grind to a halt almost stalling.
Putting pressure on the clutch Christine whined into reverse as Sunset turned around to back into the slot in the bay, the brakes and gears grinding once more bringing Christine to a halt in the correct position so Sunset could put her on the lift. Shutting her off and depressing the emergency brake, she slid back out of the driver's seat, closing the door and heading down three bays to where she had seen Grogar last. Getting closer to the radio she was already negotiating a price for Christine, even if she had to work an entire week for free just to get the parts, she'd do it, finding Grogar at the Firebird, Sunset shut his radio off causing him to turn his head slightly to glare at her.
"Sunset, how many times do I have to tell you, never mess with my radio?" He asked her in indignation.
"I know, but I found a car, how much would you want for it?" Sunset asked with pleading eyes and hope filling her voice.
"What car is it?" Grogar asked, walking from underneath the Firebird and grabbing a rag to wipe off his hands.
"She's down in the first bay, follow me" she said excitedly, running back to where she had parked Christine. Grogar followed behind Sunset, shaking his head slightly and chuckling to himself, but as he drew nearer to the first bay he could see the faded red and white, and as he finally reached the car he knew exactly what it was.
"Sunset, this is a 1958 Plymouth Fury, they're gas guzzlers, are you sure you want this one?" He asked her, cocking one of his eyebrows and head at the young woman.
"Of course Grogar, now how much do you want? I'll even work for free to get the parts I need," she said excitedly, her eyes twinkling in happiness as her grin threatened to split her face.
"Alright, alright calm down" Grogar started putting his hands out in front of himself placatingly. "For you Sunset three hundred for the car, and fifty dollars for parts a day, how's that sound?"
"Deal!" Sunset shouted as she ran up and hugged Grogar tightly. Pulling away from her boss she reached into her left pocket for her wallet, bringing it out she opened it up and pulled out the three hundred Grogar was asking for. Counting it out as she handed it over to him, her smile never left her face, and as the last bill left her hand she hugged Grogar once more, and skipped back to Christine to began the arduous task of finding out what parts she was going to need to make her roadworthy once more.
Shaking his head Grogar walked away but as he did he couldn't shake the feeling he had seen that specific Fury somewhere in his life and in more of a wrecked state. Shaking the thoughts from his head he headed back to the Firebird he was working on and he hoped with every fiber of his being it wasn't the car he thought it was.
The junkyard was shrouded in a thick layer of fog, making it difficult to see more than a few yards ahead. The dew from the previous night still clung to every surface, glistening like diamonds in the weak sunlight that managed to peek through the mist. The distant chirps and trills of waking birds could be heard if one listened closely enough.
In the first bay of the garage, Christine sat atop a lift, her rims and tires removed and neatly stacked nearby. Nearby, the bead breaker waited patiently for its next task. Across from her, an organized pile of rusted chrome pieces lay by the sand blasting area, waiting to be restored to their former glory. Sunset worked tirelessly on removing the stubborn drum brakes that had rusted solid onto the axle of Christine's front driver's side wheel. Frustrated curses escaped her lips as she wrestled with the uncooperative brakes.
Taking a step back to catch her breath, Sunset closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, savoring the smell of oil and gasoline that permeated the air. Slowly exhaling, she opened her eyes and marched determinedly to the back wall of the garage. There, she grabbed her most trusted tools - the acetylene and oxygen torches, along with a hefty five pound sledgehammer and sturdy crowbar. With these trusty companions by her side, she was ready to take on any mechanical challenge that came her way.
As Sunset spoke aloud, the words were muffled by her protective welding helmet. She adjusted the valves on the tanks until a soft hiss of gas could be heard. With a flick of the striker, a small blue flame erupted from the gases, casting an eerie glow in the dim workshop. The smell of heated metal filled the air as she carefully directed the flame onto the rusted drum break housing. Slowly, it started to glow a soft red, signaling that it was hot enough for Sunset's next move.
She set down the helmet and picked up a heavy sledgehammer, its weight feeling comfortable in her grip. With each strike, the sound of metal meeting metal reverberated through the air. Even the birds perched nearby took flight at the loud noises.
After seven strong swings, Sunset switched to a crowbar. Carefully wedging it into a small crease, she applied pressure until with a shriek, the rusty housing broke free and fell to the ground with a resounding clang. Wiping sweat off her forehead with her sleeve, Sunset took a deep breath before starting on the next step.
With skilled hands, she removed all of the old parts from Christine's drum brake system, placing them carefully in a barrel outside the shop. It was hard work but Sunset was determined to get Christine back in top shape. As she worked on removing the other three drum brakes, she couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment with each successfully freed piece.
A determined Sunset had spent the last three hours immersed in the arduous task of removing the old brakes. Her hands were now sore and scraped, but a proud smile graced her lips as she surveyed her accomplishment. She had set out into the junkyard with one goal - to find disc brake systems or at least replacement drum brakes. Now, armed with a small tool box filled with a hammer and crowbar, she made her way through the yard.
The wind howled through the metal structures and sparse trees, carrying with it a chill that spoke of winter's approach. Despite the cold, Sunset persevered and searched through newer cars that had been brought into the junkyard. The rusted holes of junker's whistled in protest as the breeze grew stronger, and shattered windows rattled in their frames.
But amidst all this chaos, there was a ray of fiery red hair walking confidently through the yard with a box of parts in hand. As she made her way back to the garage, Sunset couldn't help but smile at how smoothly her task had gone. What she thought would take all day had only taken two hours and a few bloody knuckles. With satisfaction in her heart, she placed the box of drum brake parts on the cool cement floor of the garage.
Taking a moment to catch her breath, Sunset wiped the sweat from her brow and began the final step - putting all the parts back where they belong. Piece by piece, she carefully fitted everything into place until the last drum brake cover was secured. Standing back to admire her handiwork, Sunset felt a sense of pride wash over her.
But there was still one more task to be done. Walking over to the bead breaker, Sunset hefted the first tire into place, making sure to line up the wheel stud holes perfectly. With practiced ease, she slid the rim and tire onto its axle and started screwing on lug nuts to secure it in place. In the back corner of the garage, the powerful hum of the air compressor kicked on, providing Sunset with the necessary tools to finish her job.
With a determined expression, Sunset carefully maneuvered the tire onto the machine, pressing down on the pedal to begin the process of breaking the bead around the rubber. The arm moved slowly as the tire rotated, inch by inch. As she stopped the tire from moving and moved the arm out of her way, she deftly removed the lug nuts and lifted the tire onto the top of the machine to remove the rubber from the rim.
Fifteen minutes later, Sunset had four clean rims in front of her, but her smile faded as she examined the tires. Three of them were weather-cracked and useless, while the fourth was barely hanging on with its worn tread. With a sigh, she grabbed a bite pad and a piece of paper to start checking the sizes of each tire. She knew it would be a challenge to find four matching tires that could hold up for Christine's needs.
"205 R 15's," Sunset muttered as she wrote down the numbers. "Shouldn't be too hard to find." But her optimism was tinged with a hint of doubt. She knew all too well how difficult it could be to find good tires in this small town.
Turning off her work light, Sunset looked over at Christine, parked in the corner with her headlights dimmed. "Don't worry, Christine," she said softly. "I'll find you some new tires tomorrow." Walking up to her beloved car, Sunset patted Christine's roof affectionately. "Good night, my dear. I'll see you tomorrow."
As she walked away from Christine and into the fading light of dusk, Sunset didn't notice Christine's headlights glowing softly or hear the faint sound of a radio station cutting in and out through her buzzing speakers. For now, all that mattered was finding new tires for her beloved car before hitting the road again tomorrow morning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Sunday~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The rising sun illuminated the junkyard in a warm glow, casting delicate shades of pink and yellow into the sky. The fading moon hung low in the sky, surrounded by wispy clouds that now glowed with a hint of color. At this early hour, the junkyard was quiet and deserted, a place where most people wouldn't dare to venture. But today was different. Today, Sunset appeared through the entrance, her black jacket standing out against the dull surroundings. Her fiery red hair seemed to catch fire in the rays of the morning sun, creating an almost otherworldly halo around her.
As she walked past the old garage, Sunset couldn't help but stop and admire Christine, her pride and joy. The worn red paint seemed to come alive in the sunlight, its vibrant hue more evident than ever before. With her trusty notebook in hand, Sunset made her way to the back of the garage where stacked rows of tires stood tall. She knew Grogar only kept good tires and sent the old ones off for recycling, so her hopes weren't high.
However, as she walked along the rows, a determined smile on her face, Sunset refused to let negativity take over. She knew Christine was counting on her to find the perfect set of white wall tires. Just when she was about to give up hope and turn back to the garage, Sunset's eyes caught sight of something tucked behind a row of tires.
A sun-bleached blue tarp lay haphazardly on top of whatever it was hiding from the world. Without hesitation, Sunset carefully removed the rocks holding it down and unveiled what lay underneath with a gasp escaping her lips at what she found in the early morning light.
After hours of searching, Sunset finally found the perfect set of tires hidden beneath a tarp in the corner of the garage. As she pulled back the tarp, a beam of sunlight burst through the clouds and shone down upon the tires, illuminating them in a warm golden light. "205 R 15's and white walls," Sunset exclaimed with pure joy. She ran her hand along the outer wall of the tire, feeling the smooth rubber beneath her fingertips.
With newfound energy, Sunset hoisted the first tire onto her shoulder and trekked back to the bead breaker. As she returned with the second tire, her eyes fell upon the rusted rims that had long since lost their shiny chrome finish. Frowning at her oversight, Sunset set down the last two tires next to the others and made a mental note to fix the rims before installing the new tires.
Determined to rectify her mistake, Sunset donned a protective cover suit and mask before entering the sandblasting area. With precision and focus, she methodically blasted away at the rust on each rim and piece of chrome from Christine, her beloved car. The sound of the air compressor filled her ears as she worked, and soon she was lost in the rhythmic motions of blasting away rust. Hours passed by unnoticed until Sunset finally shut off the compressor and removed her protective gear.
Examining her work with satisfaction, Sunset double-checked each rim to ensure all traces of rust were gone. Finally satisfied with her efforts, she couldn't wait to see how Christine would look with her new set of white wall tires and freshly restored rims.
"Don't worry Christine," Sunset reassured, her voice calm and confident as she approached the lift controls. She expertly lowered the car to a comfortable height and proceeded to check its engine. "Your rims and tires should be back on before nightfall." Sunset continued, her attention focused on the task at hand. "But first, I'll need to change your oil, antifreeze, and check your spark plugs to make sure they're all firing correctly."
As she spoke, Sunset's eyes scanned over Christine's engine with precision. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm orange glow over the garage. She could hear the faint sound of crickets chirping in the distance.
Walking away from Christine for a moment, Sunset grabbed the necessary tools to complete her tasks. But as she turned her back, she caught a glimpse of movement from Christine's windshield wipers. To anyone else, it may have seemed like a malfunction, but Sunset knew better. It was Christine's way of communicating with her - a silent wink.
Returning to the car with a ratchet, sockets, and a drain pan in hand, Sunset carefully removed each spark plug cap and tested them for a snug fit. After finding the right socket and attaching it to the ratchet, she began the process of removing all eight spark plugs. With each one she pulled out, she inspected them closely and found that they were all covered in carbon buildup.
Shaking her head disapprovingly, Sunset made her way to where she kept new spark plugs. With precise movements, she reinstalled eight new spark plugs into their designated spots. The sun had almost completely set by the time she finished, but Sunset didn't mind. Working on cars was her passion and there was no place she'd rather be than in this garage with Christine by her side.
Reattaching the spark plug caps in the correct order, Sunset once more raised the lift until she was able to walk under Christine. Placing the drain pan underneath the oil pan bolt, she began to once more test each socket until she found the one that fit snuggly. Unattaching the spark plug socket, she attached the socket that would remove the oil pan nut and slowly started to loosen it, as it got looser, Sunset set the ratchet aside and started to lessen the bolt by hand. As the bolt left the oil pan thick black oil started to drain into the drain pan at a relative pace, and as thick globs of black gunk started to clog the hole slowing the rate of leaving oil Sunset grabbed a screwdriver to remove the blockages that came and quickly went until all the oil had been removed.
Grabbing the oil pan bolt Sunset reinserted it and tightened it up until it was snug and tightened just a bit more. Grabbing the oil filter wrench she unscrewed the oil filter and let it drop into the drain pan, pulling the drain pan from underneath Christine, Sunset opened the box holding a new oil filter and set it beside the old one to make sure they were the same size. Happy that the new one was a match Sunset reattached the oil filter and once more lowered Christine so she could put the new oil in. Grabbing the glug free six quart box of SAE 5w-30 she removed the oil cap and began refilling Christine's engine with new oil. As the box emptied Sunset reattached the oil cover and pulled the oil dipstick out, she wiped it clean of any oil in it and reinserted it and pulled it out once more, seeing that it was on the full line she again reinserted it and smiled to herself.
"Well Christine let me see if your rims have dried so I can put the new tires on them and then you'll be wearing all new tires" Sunset said happily. As she turned around to go back into the paint bay she heard the buzzing of a radio station that wasn't quite coming in correctly "and maybe I'll fix your antenna as well."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Monday~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Grogar ambled into the garage of his junkyard, taking in the familiar sight of rusted metal and broken parts scattered haphazardly. But something caught his eye and made him stop in his tracks. His high school employee, Sunset, was asleep in one of his rolling chairs, her head resting on the hood of the car she had been tirelessly repairing. A small smile tugged at Grogar's lips as he shook his head in amusement. He walked to his office, navigating through the maze of clutter with ease, and retrieved a blanket he kept for situations like this - though it hadn't been used in years.
As he walked back towards Sunset, his gaze fell upon the car she was working on - a beat-up old clunker that she had somehow managed to bring back to its former glory. The sun glinted off the pristine red paint and newly repaired chrome, bringing a sense of pride to Grogar's chest.
He heard a groan and turned around to see Sunset stretching out, still half asleep. With a chuckle, Grogar quipped, "Good morning sleeping beauty, stay up late did ya?"
"Mmmhmmm," came the drowsy reply from Sunset.
Grogar couldn't help but laugh before asking, "Want some coffee?"
"If you don't mind, Grogar. I think Christine will be finished today, but honestly I'm not sure," Sunset responded as she slowly stood up.
With another amused chuckle, Grogar made his way to his office to start a pot of coffee for himself and Sunset. Placing a filter into the coffee maker and filling the reservoir with water, he patiently waited for the machine to work its magic. Meanwhile, out in the garage, Sunset rested comfortably behind the wheel of Christine - a satisfied smile on her face as she ran her hand along the smooth surface of the car's steering wheel.
As Grogar made his way back into the garage, he carefully balanced two steaming cups of hot coffee in his hands. The smell of freshly brewed java filled the air and mingled with the familiar scent of gasoline and motor oil. As he walked through the rows of cars and tools, a faint sound caught his attention and grew louder with each step. He realized it had been ages since he last heard that song.
A small smile tugged at the corners of Grogar's mouth as he approached the car his employee had been working on. Christine, a sleek red fury, was almost unrecognizable after the extensive repairs. But Sunset, her head resting on the steering wheel with closed eyes, seemed to blend in perfectly with the vintage vehicle.
As the song came to an end and Sunset's head lifted slightly, she saw Grogar standing there with two cups of coffee in hand. A grateful smile spread across her face as she reached out to take one of the cups. "Thanks, Grogar," she said.
"Don't mention it, Sunset," Grogar replied with a warm smile. "So how are the repairs coming along?"
"They'll be finished today," Sunset said confidently. "And tomorrow, I'm going back to school."
Grogar raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You're going back so soon? I thought you wanted some time off."
"I did," Sunset admitted. "But I think it's important for me to prove my innocence by working towards it and showing everyone that I'm not a horrible person."
Grogar nodded understandingly. "If you believe that's what you should do, then I won't stop you," he said with a supportive smile
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Meanwhile~~~~~~~~~~~
Huddled together in the crowded cafeteria of Canterlot High School, five teens sat in a tense silence. Each one was seething with their own anger and frustration. Applejack's fists were clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white, while Rainbow Dash's eyes burned with a fierceness that none had ever seen before. Rarity, usually known for her impeccable fashion sense, looked pale and sickly under the fluorescent lights. Fluttershy, normally timid and shy, seemed to blend into the background even more than usual under her oversized sweatshirt. And Pinkie Pie's normally wild and poofy hair hung straight and lifeless around her face. The atmosphere was heavy with tension and secrets, as Anon-A-Miss continued to post incriminating information about them. Sunset, their friend who they suspected was behind it all, had been absent since Friday without any explanation. As Anon-A-Miss continued to wreak havoc on their lives, the five girls at the table hatched a plan - they had discovered a book that could contact Twilight and were anxiously awaiting her response.
The tranquil morning had descended upon Canterlot High School, casting a peaceful aura over the empty halls and classrooms. Inside, teachers and janitors bustled about, preparing for the day ahead. But outside, by the wonder colt statue, five teens sat in quiet conversation.
As the morning sun rose higher in the sky, its golden rays shone upon the statue, illuminating it in a warm glow. Suddenly, the mirror within the statue began to twist and distort, creating a swirling magenta cloud that seemed to pulse with energy. The group of girls watched in anticipation as the portal began to open, waiting for their friend's arrival.
With a burst of magical energy, a young girl with black glasses, a plaid skirt, and a white tee shirt emerged from the portal and landed gently on the soft grass of the school lawn. As quickly as it appeared, the magenta cloud dissipated and the mirror returned to its normal state. The girl shook herself off and was helped to her feet by Pinkie and Fluttershy while the other three girls stood nearby, waiting patiently.
Taking a moment to gather her bearings, the newcomer looked around at her surroundings with wonder and awe. Her eyes met those of her friends who had helped her out of kindness, but as they fell upon the other three girls, they hardened into a cold and calculating gaze.
"We're so glad you're here, Twilight," Applejack said warmly, crossing her arms. "We need your help."
Twilight's stern gaze pierced through the group of girls, her voice laced with disappointment and anger. "As you mentioned in your message," she began, "what exactly is this issue you're having with Sunset that you needed my help with? Something you couldn't figure out on your own?" Her words were sharp and cutting.
Rainbow Dash's expression turned to one of frustration as she blurted out, "Sunset has been sharing everyone's secrets online, and we need you to take her back to Equestria right now!" The others nodded in agreement, their faces a mix of worry and agitation.
Twilight raised an eyebrow. "And have any of you actually talked to Sunset about this? Or did you jump to conclusions and use her as a scapegoat instead of facing the truth?" There was a fire in her tone.
The girls exchanged guilty looks. Pinkie's usually bouncy hair deflated slightly as she answered, "No..."
Fluttershy peeked out timidly from behind her curtain of hair. "I've been too afraid to confront her," she admitted meekly.
Rarity shifted uncomfortably, playing with a strand of her perfectly styled hair. "Well...no," she said shyly.
Twilight turned to Applejack and Rainbow Dash. "What about you two?" she asked pointedly.
Rainbow Dash puffed up defensively. "What about us? We know for a fact it was her, that little-"
But Twilight cut her off. "And how do you know for a fact it was her? Did you just accuse her without even talking to her first? Or did you use her as a convenient excuse so you wouldn't have to face the real source of the problem?" Her words hit the group like a slap in the face.
Applejack remained calm amidst the chaos. "What are ya getting at, Twi?" she asked, trying to diffuse the tension.
Twilight took a deep breath before explaining, "We had a similar problem in Equestria, except it was with my student Starlight. The foal free press had someone writing down everypony's secrets and everyone thought it was her until we dug deeper and found out who the true culprits were."
"Culprits? As in more than one?" Applejack's eyes widened as she connected the dots. "You don't mean..."
"Yes," Twilight affirmed with a resolute voice.
Rarity looked to Applejack for clarification. "What does she mean, Applejack?" she asked, eager to understand the connection.
And as everything clicked into place, Applejack's expression turned grim. "She means that we've been wrongfully accusing Sunset this whole time."
As Applejack spoke, her voice carried a tinge of concern and worry. She knew that it was their sisters on the other side of the portal who were spreading everyone's secrets, but as she trailed off, Rainbow's anger boiled over.
"Absolutely nothing on this side," Rainbow seethed, unaware of the three children behind her. "Now you're going to take Sunset to your world or else-" Her threat was cut off by a small voice from behind her.
"How'd you figure it out?" The child asked, causing Rainbow to turn around in surprise.
"Yeah, how'd you figure out it was us?" Another child chimed in, making the older girls' eyes widen in shock. Twilight's narrowed suspiciously as she took in the sight of their younger siblings standing before them.
In a fit of rage, Rainbow spun around ready to confront a smirking Twilight for using some sort of manipulation spell. But before she could say anything, Pinkie Pie caught her attention with some unusual behavior.
Pinkie's hair straightened and then poofed up into its usual curly state. Her eyes rolled around wildly in her head as her jaw chattered. Suddenly, her left arm shot out and then back in before she bounced five times in a row. To finish off her bizarre display, Pinkie did a full 360-degree rotation followed by a quadruple backflip, landing perfectly on her feet.
"Whoa! That was one hell of a doozy!" Pinkie exclaimed with an odd tone between chipper and dark.
"Pinkie," Rainbow said slowly, all the girls now staring at their friend in confusion. "What did that mean?"
"I'm not sure," Pinkie replied, sounding serious for once. "It was like a mix between a feeling that someone new is coming here and a horrible sensation following it. Like something dark is descending upon us."
As if on cue, the girls heard faint music in the distance, growing louder and more ominous with each passing moment.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Junkyard~~~~~~~~~~~~
The golden rays of the morning sun shone upon the junkyard, their warm light reflecting off the gleaming red and white paint of a sleek car. Sitting patiently outside the bay door of the garage, Christine waited for her beloved owner - a fiery-haired girl who had shown her love and care that she hadn't experienced in years. As the clock in the garage struck 6:30, Sunset appeared, her smile brighter than the sun itself as she approached Christine.
With a sigh of contentment, Sunset climbed into the driver's seat - the only place where she felt truly happy and safe. "Well, Christine, it's time to face another day at school," she said with a determined smile as she turned the key in the ignition. Christine's powerful 318 cu in V8 engine roared to life, ready to tackle whatever challenges lay ahead. With a confident hand on the clutch, Sunset shifted Christine into first gear, smoothly releasing the pedal and gently pressing down on the gas.
As they rolled out of the garage and towards the gate, Sunset and Christine were met with curious looks from other junkyard residents. But as they reached the exit and merged onto the open road, all eyes were on them. With each shift of gears and increase in speed, Sunset could feel Christine's power coursing through her veins. They entered Canterlot - a bustling city in the early hours of morning - and everyone seemed to stop and watch as Christine drove by like an elegant queen surveying her kingdom. And with Christine by her side, Sunset knew she could face anything that came her way.
The car radio sprang to life, filling the air with vibrant beats and melodies. Sunset's left arm rested casually outside the opened window, her fingers tapping along to the rhythm on the door frame. Her other hand caressed the steering wheel, waiting for the light to change as she approached CHS.
As they came to a stop at the first red light, Sunset couldn't help but smile at the familiar sight of her old high school. She shifted Christine back into first gear and rolled towards their final destination, her eyes scanning the crowded parking lot as a new song came on the radio. It seemed like the perfect soundtrack for this moment, announcing Christine's love for Sunset to anyone who cared to listen.
Turning into the school parking lot, Sunset's heart skipped a beat when she saw her five ex-friends standing together with their sisters and another unexpected figure: Twilight Sparkle. As she parked Christine in a spot and turned off the engine, Sunset took a deep breath before stepping out of the car. She made her way towards the group of girls who were engaged in a heated argument, her mind already racing with questions.
Rainbow's voice cut through the tense atmosphere as she accused Scootaloo of lying about Sunset's involvement in Anon-A-Miss. The other Crusaders looked down at their feet with guilty expressions while Applejack tried to diffuse the situation by admitting their mistake and suggesting an apology.
But Rainbow wasn't having it. She stormed away, refusing to apologize or believe that Sunset could have been innocent all along.
Sunset finally reached the group and spoke up, confusion evident in her tone as she addressed Twilight directly. As Twilight turned around with a smile, Sunset couldn't help but feel a sense of sadness and regret from her old friends' reactions. And yet, she couldn't help but hold onto a glimmer of hope that maybe things could be resolved between them after all.
"I came here to check up on you, Sunset. Twilight and the girls have something they want to discuss with you. Let's walk and talk," Twilight stated firmly, looking at the girls for confirmation. The seven of them nodded in unison and began walking towards the school together, unaware that Rainbow had stayed behind.
Rainbow glared at the car that Sunset arrived in. "She'll learn not to mess with us again," she muttered with a twisted smile before turning on her heel and making her way to the school. Little did she know, she didn't notice the faint sound of the car's headlights turning on and off, or the faint buzz of the radio.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Cafeteria~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So let me get this straight," a blue girl with white hair interjected, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Sunset brainwashed your sister and your friend's sisters and set them up to take the fall?"
The group of teens sitting at the table all nodded in unison, their faces reflecting a mix of anger and disbelief.
"That's messed up," a boy in a tracksuit exclaimed, shaking his head in disgust.
Rainbow's eyes flashed red as she continued, her voice dripping with rage. "And that's not even the worst of it. She shows up in this old car acting like it's going to make her more popular."
A brown haired girl, Gilda, leaned forward with a sly grin on her face. "You thinking what I'm thinking, Soarin?"
The boy in question raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "What are you thinking, Gilda?"
"We destroy the car," Gilda said with satisfaction as Trixie, Rainbow, Soarin, Garble, and Flash all laughed maniacally. Behind them sat three other teens with glowing ruby necklaces around their necks, their expressions mirroring the cruel glee of their friends.
~~~~~~~~~~~Parking~Lot~~~~~~~~~~~~
As the lunch break neared its end, two teachers strolled hand in hand back to the school. Their faces were lit up with smiles, and their voices rang out with laughter as they recounted amusing stories from their brief respite. As they approached the school, they passed by a familiar car without giving it a second thought. But then, suddenly, the radio within the car sputtered to life.
The teachers whipped around, scanning their surroundings for the source of the unexpected music. And when their eyes landed on the red and white fury before them, their jaws nearly hit the ground.
"Chrissy," exclaimed the teacher with jet black hair.
"It can't be Sombra...we destroyed it!" retorted Chrissy, her voice trembling with nerves. The song grew louder and louder, and soon enough the car's lights flickered on and its engine roared to life. In a panic, the two teachers turned on their heels and bolted away as fast as they could, all while the car continued to play its upbeat tune.
