12 Through 15

How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning

How you are cut down to the ground

You who weakened the nations

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds

I will be like the Most High

Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, to the lowest depths of the pit

In the heart of the city lay a sprawling church. The pews sat in strict, parallel lines, leading up to the altar which sat in the center of the room. Its naked pillars stretched like tendrils into the air, as if reaching for some foreign heaven that it would never find.

Amidst the morphing of shadow and light met an angel and a demon, descending from the highest cloud of heaven and the lowest depth of hell. One from a world of wonder and beauty, and the other from a life of manipulation and deceit.

They stood, one staring at the other, with the wind in their throats and the dust in their eyes.

The angel was quiet, with tears in their eyes. “Why would you say that?” they asked.

The demon said nothing, with a grin wider than the sky itself. “Why do you think?” they asked.

And the angel was swallowed whole, in a storm of screaming faces echoing their voice.

Why would you say that?

He stared in the mirror. His face stared back.

Tirek gripped the sides of the sink, his knuckles as white as the basin and forming a discoloration against his harsh red skin.

He frowned and flexed hard, muscles rippling and bulging on his bare arms.

“Fuck.” Tirek spat out the word like venom, eyes narrowing at his own reflection. His form shook violently, his body almost pulsing beneath his leather vest. “FUCK!”

He kicked the wall beneath the sink, his steel-toed boot absorbing most of the blow.

Through the vandalized, cracked mirror, his own shattered face stared back at him. It contorted in anger, eyes burning with an untempered fury that threatened to raze him whole.

Tirek scowled, taking in great, heaving breaths. He squeezed his eyes shut, drowning out the red in his vision. The sound of running water slowly brought him back to the ground, and Tirek opened his eyes, calm again.

“Damnit.”

With a bitter sigh he shut off the tap, turning away from the shattered mirror and leaving the derelict bathroom.

He stepped out into the cathedral’s hall, feeling the building’s cool aura lapse against him. Each step was thunder in its empty halls, an echoing question that was left unanswered. Eventually he emerged in the nave: empty save the pews and altar keeping vigil.

Tirek eased himself into one of the pews, hanging his head low and clasping his hands in front of him.

From the stained-glass windows, a vibrant red light streamed through. Outside, the world burned beneath the glare of a violent sun.

But Tirek didn’t care.

“I did it.” The words were hollow and empty. “I did it.”

His voice came out as a low growl.

“I did it!” Tirek yelled, his anger bouncing off the walls and going unanswered. “I did it, goddamnit! What more do you want?!”

The altar didn’t answer.

Tirek breathed heavily, realizing that he was now standing. “I did what I had to do,” he snarled, sinking back into the pew. “He was weak. He was plotting against me. I had to stay in power.”

“Hello?”

Tirek whipped his head around, staring towards the interest. The outside light streamed in, outlining the figure at the door in a painful red.

“Am I interrupting something?”

“No,” Tirek replied with pursed lips. “Not at all.”

The figure stepped forwards, a beam of yellow light breaking above their head. In the refracted light it seemed as if she were floating above the aisle.

Tirek sank back in the pew and leaned back, shutting his eyes.

“What’s your deal?”

He cracked his eyes open, glaring across the aisle where the newcomer was sitting. She rested her hands over her knees, pushing her legs into the back of the pew in front of her.

“What?” Tirek asked.

“C’mon, you telling me you just spend all day sitting in an empty cathedral?” she retorted.

Tirek laughed, turning to look the newcomer over. He took in her bright red hair and leather jacket; it reminded of the friends likely waiting for him at the clubhouse. “And what’s it to you if I do?”

She shrugged. “Well don’t get me wrong, I couldn’t care less. But I… don’t think it’s a normal thing to do.”

“Who are you to tell me what’s normal?”

That caught her off guard. She stammered for a few seconds before shaking her head.

Tirek leaned back, telling himself he was satisfied. It did nothing to stave the numbness he felt. “You’re not from around here, are you?”

Her breath hitched at that. “Well… I guess not.”

“Then do you believe?”

“What?”

Tirek motioned to the room around them. “Do you believe? Or do you enjoy sitting in empty churches that mean nothing to you?”

She tapped her chin and let out a hum. “When you put it like that, yes. I do believe. Maybe not in the same way you do, but I believe.”

“What’s your name?”

“Sunset. Sunset Shimmer.”

Tirek nodded. “I’m Tirek. And you didn’t answer my first question. Are you here to beg forgiveness? Get repentance for some horrible, horrible sin?”

“Maybe.”

The church was quiet at that. Sunset didn’t look up, her face hidden beneath her shock of red and orange hair.

“Come on, what’d you do?” Tirek asked, reaching into his vest pocket for his cigarettes. “Big fight? Get busted? Lose a friend, or--”

“Yes!” Sunset said, throwing up her hands. “Yes, let’s just call it that, okay?! I don’t want to talk about it.”

Tirek laughed, dry and coarse. “Then don’t bring it up.”

He glanced over, watching as the sunlight cascaded over her body and covered his own in shadows.

“You shouldn’t be ashamed to run from something,” Tirek eventually said. “Everyone is, after all.”

Sunset sulked, wrapping her arms around her knees. “I’m not running. If anything, I got away.”

“Take it easy then,” Tirek answered. With a sigh he slapped his knees and stood, stretching out his back.

Sunset looked up. “Going somewhere?”

“Alone time isn’t as successful when I’m not alone,” Tirek grunted, heading for the exit.

He paused again as he neared the threshold, glancing back at the pews.

“I don’t offer this to many so consider yourself honored, but you look like you could use a drink,” Tirek declared, zipping up his vest.

Sunset didn’t reply, but Tirek didn’t wait for her.

“You have five minutes, then I’m leaving.”

There was still no answer, so Tirek shrugged and continued walking.

“Ugh, fine. You’ve got my attention,” called Sunset.

He grinned devilishly. “Good. That means you’re learning.”

“Yeah? I bet I know more than you’d ever know,” Sunset answered, catching up to him.

“Oh, we’ll see. We’ll see.”

Laughter graced the halls of the chapel.

Sunset snickered, dusting chip crumbs from her lap. “Wow. Can’t believe you did that.”

Tirek shrugged, leaning back against the concrete wall. “A leader has to make decisions. Only weak ones put others above the position.”

“Yeah, you’re telling me,” Sunset muttered, popping another potato chip into her mouth. “I think I knew plenty of those types back where I came from.”

“Where do you come from, Sunset Shimmer?” posed Tirek.

Sunset shrugged, smirking at Tirek. “Oh, some place far away. You’ve probably never heard of it.”

Tirek grunted. “You don’t hear of much around these parts.”

“Yeah? And what are ‘these parts’ that you speak of,” asked Sunset.

“Hell,” Tirek answered without hesitation. “Nothing more and nothing less.”

Sunset stopped chewing to stare at him. “Wow. That’s kinda… blunt?”

“Well, it’s true. I’ve learned that only the strong survive here. The weak are merely used, and if you are not the user then used is all you will ever be.”

“Is that why you keep that gang of yours around?”

Tirek chuckled, rubbing his beard. “Club, not a gang. Club.”

“Same difference,” Sunset replied. “Where I come from that’s not really a thing we do.”

“Well, I’m afraid this city is not as forgiving as wherever it is you are from,” Tirek replied. “And some advice? Stop blaming everything on your hometown.”

“I’ll try to keep that in mind,” Sunset said, rolling her eyes.

Tirek didn’t reply, letting Sunset’s crunching and the crinkling of plastic fill the silence.

“The people in your ‘club’ seem pretty nice though,” Sunset muttered.

“They’re all idiots,” Tirek scoffed. “But I suppose they get the job done well enough.”

Sunset glanced at him suspiciously. “I thought you all were friends?”

“I don’t think you’d get any of us to admit that,” Tirek replied.

“Well… what if I told you that where I came from, friendship was weirdly a pretty big deal?” Sunset asked.

Tirek barked out a laugh. “Then I’d tell you to go back to sleep! Only in dreams would that nonsense exist safely. You really do have much to learn if you want to survive here, Sunset. I don’t know what heaven you are from, but if you truly think that, your time here will be short. That I can guarantee.”

“Well good thing I’ve got you here to teach me,” Sunset answered, getting up and giving him a light punch in the shoulder.

Tirek cracked a smile. “I suppose so.”

“You have something on your face.”

Sunset looked up, swiping at her cheek. “Did I get it?”

Tirek blinked, then laughed. “No.”

She pouted, swiping half-heartedly at her other cheek. “What about now?”

The sight of ice cream smeared against Sunset’s lips got a hearty cackle from Tirek. He reached over with a napkin despite Susnet’s protests. “There. What would you do without me?”

“Probably live a much better life,” replied a flustered Sunset.

Tirek smirked, sitting back in the booth. “As if your life would be better without motorcycle rides.”

“Alright, fine, you got me there. Your motorcycle is pretty cool,” Sunset said as she shoved another spoonful of ice cream into her mouth. “Hey, can I ask you something though?”

Tirek hummed in response.

“I heard your friends talking about… someone named Hoops?”

Tirek snorted. “Hoops was a fool, but he won’t be a problem anymore.”

Sunset looked up at him curiously. “What did he do?”

He sighed, glancing out the window at the miserable streets. “He was a confidant. Him and his friends. But they were plotting against me so I had to cut ties with them. Simple as that.”

“It… sounds like you really hurt them with that,” Sunset said carefully.

“Your heart's too big,” Tirek replied with a smile. “That’s why Lightning calls you Angel. A good leader must do whatever is needed when he is threatened. You’ll learn.”

Sunset slid out of the booth, crossing to the other side to lean against Tirek. “Yeah, I’m sure I will.”

Tirek slung his arm around Sunset, kissing her on the forehead.

“Love you, T.”

“And I love you, Sunset Shimmer.”

“Damn, Angel, you look good in that!”

Sunset smirked, tugging on the sleeves to her leather jacket.

“Heh. Thanks, Lightning.”

Lightning Dust replied with an over-eager slap to her back, causing Sunset to wince.

“Geez, Dust, don’t kill her.” Gilda shoved Lightning away, with Lightning sticking her tongue out in response. “You do look great in that. Better than T does, even.”

Sunset laughed, flicking out her collar. “I was wearing this long before I met him.”

“Sure you were,” Tirek replied monotonously, leaning against his motorcycle. “I’m surprised they even have those where you’re from.”

Sunset rolled her eyes, leaning into Tirek’s side. “Meanie.”

Gilda and Lightning laughed at that, heading to their own respective vehicles. “You’re a real joker, Angel,” Gilda replied as she put on her helmet.

Lightning pulled out her phone, frowning at the screen before typing out a message. “Shoot, hold up, let me respond to this real quick.”

“So you hook up with CHS yet Angel?” asked Gilda while they waited.

Sunset nodded. “Yeah. It’s been kinda rocky but I think I’m getting the hang of it.”

“Dunno why you’d even shack up with that shithole,” Gilda scoffed. “You’re probably better off on your own.”

Tirek grunted. “Leave her be.”

“Fine! Just saying, school sucks ass. Can’t believe you’d want to go,” Gilda muttered.

“Sorry guys,” Lightning muttered, breaking up the conversation. “I gotta bail.”

Gilda groaned. “Again, Dust? C’mon!”

“Sorry! It’s just…” Lightning gestured vaguely to her phone. “She wants to hang out, and I already promised her that I wouldn’t cancel--”

Tirek waved his arm dismissively. “Whatever. Go.”

Lightning gave an apologetic wave before revving up her motorcycle and tearing off down the street.

“I swear,” Gilda muttered. “She’s just gotta make it public already! It’s so freakin obvious she’s got the hots for that friend.”

Sunset tilted her head in confusion. “Who?”

Gilda scoffed. “I dunno. Some musician chick I never heard of. I swear, T, if we don’t do something about that we’re going to lose her completely.”

“I fail to see that as a bad thing,” Tirek said.

Gilda stared at him incredulously. “Fucking seriously?! Man! Fuck this, I need to ride.” She slid her visor over her eyes and revved her engine. “I’ll see you all later. Fuck!” With a yell, she raced off into the night.

“You really don’t think it’s a bad thing?” Sunset asked once Gilda was gone.

“A way out of this life should always be taken,” Tirek grunted. “Only fools would think otherwise.” He paused as his phone vibrated. Tirek scowled, squirting at the name. “Speaking of fools…”

Sunset peeked out over his shoulder. “Who’s that?”

“Bah. Snips and Snails.” He shoved his phone back into his pocket with a grunt. “Two idiots who would do anything for all the wrong reasons.”

He turned the key, starting his motorcycle.

He felt Sunset wrap her arms around him to brace herself, and the two sped away, leaving the shadow of the chapel behind.

He stared in the mirror. His face stared back.

Tirek felt blood pulsing through his body, and his vision swam before him. The bathroom shook violently and his stomach smashed against his sides, violent and tumultuous.

“F-Fuck!”

His voice came out coarse and weak. He braced himself against the sink and tried to scowl, but the deep, heaving breaths his body demanded broke it.

There was a bang from somewhere within and Tirek whipped his head around.

He stumbled from the bathroom, drunkenly moving from the hall to the nave.

At the front, by the altar, stood Sunset Shimmer.

Tirek tried to snarl but it, like him, was weak and pathetic. “Y-you!”

“Me!” Sunset replied with a wry grin, leaning against the altar. “Hi, Tirek. You look like shit!”

“W-what…” Tirek swallowed hard and clenched his fists. “What did you do?!”

Sunset tapped her chin and let out a low hum. “I don’t know? What did I do?”

“She almost KILLED her! And now neither of them will even look at me!” Tirek barked. “What did you do?”

“Geez, don’t be so overdramatic! Gilda is a strong mare! She can take a little beating!” Sunset laughed, twirling a set of keys around her finger. “But I can’t really blame Lightning, though. Even if she won’t admit that she loves that fiddle-girl, she had to have been pissed to hear Gilda was hitting on her!” Sunset comically slapped a hand over her mouth. “Oops! I wasn’t supposed to let that slip!”

Tirek balked at that. “You… you told her that? Why?”

Sunset left the altar, coming down the pews and staring at him with a hellish grin. “Because they were in my way, and I needed to get rid of them. But don’t feel bad, your little club wasn’t the only friend group I had to dismantle.”

Tirek’s vision blurred as he collapsed onto a pew, staring up at Sunset through a veil of tears. Sunset reached out and lifted his chin.

Whatever courage Tirek had fell away as he looked into her eyes. “Go on,” she cooed. “Try to get angry. Try to tell yourself you’re angry and not scared. It won’t work. Admit it, you just want to come grovelling back to me for headpats, like the lapdog you are.”

And she was right.

“It’s a used or be used world, T,” Sunset said, giving him a sarcastic pat on the shoulder. “And I don’t intend on being used.” There was the jingling of keys that sent a faint pang through Tirek’s heart. “Oh, and thanks for the motorcycle. I’ll take good care of her.”

As her boots echoed against the wood, Tirek spoke again. “You said you love me.”

Sunset paused. “Did I?”

“Why would you say that?”

The demon turned slowly, watching as the last shards of morning light fell over the broken angel. “Why do you think?” she asked.

The angel didn’t reply.

“Go back to sleep then, Tirek,” the demon said. “Maybe when you wake up this will all be over.”

Tirek leaned back in the pew and turned his head to the barren, empty sky above. There was no light and there was no sound: only tiny bits of dust floating in the fleeting evening.

He began to laugh.

Then he began to cry.