After her defeat at the prom, Sunset Shimmer finds herself to be in a bizarre situation.
Do you believe in gravity? After all, the world as we know exists because of it. Gravity is everywhere, without it, we would all be floating in space. Now, tell me, do you believe in gravity? No answer, eh? Well, this is to be expected. But perhaps you will change your mind after Sunset's story. Oh, by the way, are you a stand user? Be careful if you are for gravity will bring you surprises, some less pleasant than the others. SPOILER WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS SPOILER FOR JOJO PART 6 ENDING
Celestia Stand Name: Magnum Opus Special Ability: Control density. Power: C Speed: A Range: C Durability: A Precision: A Potential: D (Complete)
Luna Stand Name: Walking on the Moon Special Ability: Allows the owner move as she would be on the moon. Will also affect the objects she touched. Power: A Speed: A Range: C Durability: A Precision: A Potential: C
Sunset Shimmer (Equestria) Stand Name: Walking on Sunshine Special Ability: control the speed in which light travels in an area (the affect of which can be applied to both owner and bystanders, depending on the owner herself), but doing so would damage the stand user's health. The more light is slowed down, the more damage it would do to the owner. Power: A Speed: A Range: C Durability: C Precision: C Potential: A
Twilight Sparkle Stand Name: Raining Glitter Special Ability: magnify or reduce the affect of friction Power: A Speed: A Range: D Durability: A Precision: A Potential: A
Applejack Stand Name: Whisky and Rain Ability: Transfer of damage through a medium. However, fatal injuries can only be transferred to another person. Power: A Speed: A Range: C Durability: A Precision: C Potential: C
??? Stand Name: Gardens in the Rain Ability: Absorption of outside forces. Power: C Speed: C Range: A Durability: A Precision: C Potential: B
Fluttershy Stand Name: Speak Softly, Love Special Ability: This stand only manifests when user is sleeping or in grave danger. Under such condition, this invincible stand will attack any coming close to its user. This stand will not allow anyone get close to its master, even if the user is in need of help. Power: A Speed: A Range: C Durability: A Precision: A Potential: C
Stand User: Rarity Stand Name: Belle in the Ball Special Ability: Turning everything into crystal and back. While in crystal state, this stand can modify said material in every possible way. Power: N/A Speed: N/A Range: A Durability: A Precision: C Potential: B
Stand User: ??? Stand Name: Stand Forever Free Special Ability: ??? Power: N/A Speed: N/A Range: A Durability: A Precision: D Potential: A
"Do you believe in gravity?" A man with black robes and a bowler sit down next to the girl with crimson hair as three shooting stars travel through the night sky.
"Yes, but are you ok, sir? You are sweating, a lot." The girl frowns, observing the strange man as he melts even though the cold winter blaze cuts through his clothing
"Oh, yes, I'm fine. What about you? You look troubled." The man wipes his head with a piece of a napkin before taking his hat off.
"I..." The girl sighed, her eyes fixated on the peculiar hair pattern on his forehead.
"Don't worry, my child, you can trust in me." The man turns his attention to the girl.
"I did terrible things...and they will never forgive me for it." The girl murmured as she wrapped her arms around her own body.
"Oh, pity, forgiveness is core to redemption you see." The man replied, gasping for air while looking down at his hands.
"So I'm beyond redemption now?" The girl smirked.
"No, my dear, their redemption." The man put a hand over the girl's shoulder.
"Sorry, but I don't understand." The girl questioned, the frown on her brow deepened.
"Have you apologized for your past mistake?" The man asks.
"Yes, yes I did." The girl pushed his hand away.
"Have you taken action to correct them?" The man continues.
"I tried, but...I..." The girl choked on her words, her hand smashing against the park bench: "They never truly forgive me, everything just seems so fake! I had no friends, the only 'friends' I have are only nice for me for somebody else's sake! I can sense, they did not forgive me and will never do so..."
"And they still don't forgive you?" The man looks at her hand as the space around the chair starts bending.
"No, I don't think they will ever!" The girl stands up as the fabric of reality distorts even further.
"Then my dear, it is your friend who's beyond redemption. You, on the other hand, have already been forgiven for you have repented." The man observes his surroundings.
"I...never meant to harm them. I wanted to make the world a better place and...eh, what was I thinking?" The girl falls back onto the bench, her head buried in her palms as the space around them goes back to normal.
"Oh, so you hurt them during the process?" The man looks at the girl.
"Yes, I'm afraid so." The girl sighed again.
"Did your plan work?" The man raised an eyebrow.
"No, it failed." The girl mumbles, her voice barely recognizable from the wind blowing through.
"My dear, then you are not at fault at all!" The man again put a hand over the distressed girl's shoulder.
"What?" The girl looks up at the stranger: "But I did hurt them!"
"You see, sacrifices must be made to achieve a goal. They should be honored to be part of your plan. The only thing you did wrong was to fail, my dear." The man whispers into the girl's ear.
"I..." The girl looks down at her hands, not knowing what to think.
"Don't worry, my child, everyone deserves a second chance. Now, take this. It is gravity that drew us together." The man takes a golden arrow alone with a picture attached to it.
"This is...an arrow? A picture?" The girl examines the objects, especially the picture featuring a blonde man with a star-shaped mark on his neck.
"This is my dearest friend," The man explains with a soft voice: "He sought to achieve [Heaven], so the human race may finally reach happiness."
"Heaven?" The girl blinked, her eyes focused on the picture.
"Unfortunately, he give his life for this endeavor," The man sighed, the light in his eyes dimmed: "So now it is up to me to complete the deed."
"What will heaven be like?" The girl looks at the man.
"Everyone will know their destiny, and learn to accept it, " The man's eyes lit up: "By then, they will know happiness."
"The world is so unpredictable," The girl murmured, staring at the blonde man: "But if we know what is come..."
"Then we will be prepared and be happy," The man looks at the girl: "Do you want to join me?"
"But, what can I do?" The girl looks at the man, desperate for an answer.
"Don't worry, dear," The man pulled the girl in for a hug: "You are gifted, just like him."
"Him?" The girl asked.
"He once stood on top of the world," The man says as a strange disc emerged from the girl's head: "But then, it was all lost. Now, I stand where he fell. I too, need a dear friend."
"A friend?" The girl's eyes widen as a drop of tear trickle down her chin: "Be my friend?"
"Of course, dear friend," The man examines the disc: "Your power...is most intriguing."
"What is it?" The girl whispered as her arms wrap around the man's shoulders.
"With this power, you can shape the very fabric of our world, hence bring infinite possibilities," The man pushes the disc back into the girl's head: "Thereby, you stand shall be named as [To Infinity and Beyond]."
"To Infinity and Beyond..." The girl murmured: "I...like that name..."
"I must go now, but be patient. In time, things will be revealed." The man gently pushes the girl aside: "I will need your assistance someday, but before that, consider everything a gift."
"Of course," The girl looks at everything in her hands as the man vanishes into the night.
"Sunset!"
"Where is that man, sister?"
"Ms. Celestia and Luna?" Sunset hastily puts everything into her pocket before standing up.
"Sunset," Celestia reaches a hand out as her other hand is occupied with a sledgehammer: "What did he give you?"
"Gifts," Sunset murmurs, her hands on her pocket.
"Sunset, give it to us," Celestia explains, putting the hammer down as Luna inspects the surroundings: "That man is dangerous!"
"NO!" Sunset screamed back as red and golden lines, shaped as a human shines in the darkness: "He didn't do anything wrong!"
"Sunset," Celestia sighed, slowly approaching the confused girl: "He is a dangerous man, ok? Whatever he handed to you, is probably dangerous!"
"NO!" Sunset argued, as the line solidified: "NO! I...tried so hard to fix everything, I will not give it up now!"
"Sister, he brainwashed her," Luna gently pushed Celestia aside as a dark humanoid with sprinkles of light all over its' body emerges from behind: "Hand it over, we don't want hurt you!"
"NO!"
"Celestia!"
"Luna?" Celestia open her eyes. The warmth of blanket surrounding her body indicates that she is still in bed.
"That nightmare again?" Luna, wearing pajamas herself, hands Celestia a piece of napkin.
"I'm afraid so," Celestia wiped sweat off of her forehead: "Did the foundation call?"
"Nope," Luna exhaled, leaning against her sister's closet: "I'm afraid not."
"The events," Celestia gets off of her bed: "Last night, the rainbow blast, things are playing out exactly the same."
"Not quite," Luna added: "From what I can see, this Sunset, the one from "Equestria", is different from the Sunset we know. She might not be a threat."
"I hope," Celestia says: "Is she a stand user?"
"Yes," Luna replied: "Although she doesn't know, the power within her will soon change her life."
"You've got to be kidding me..." Sunset murmurs, her jaw dropped as the content of her locker is covered in red paint: "What the..."
I deserve this, right? Sunset clutches her fists: I did terrible things, so it's only a matter of time, but... Sunset smacked her fist against the locker, causing the metal door to bend beyond recognization. What? Sunset looks at the locker in disbelief: I...how is this possible? I didn't even feel anything! Almost at the same moment, the bell rings, signifying the start of another long and hard school day.
"Oh, s..." Sunset almost jumped out of her skin. Instead of bundling her time away in front of the mess, Sunset grubbed whatever is recognizable from the locker, throw them into her backpack before dashing off to the other end of the building. It is guaranteed that she will be late. As she speeds up, the hallway starts to appear...elongated. What is going on? Sunset thought as she runs faster. However, the faster she goes, the longer the way ahead seems to be as the world around her starts to turn red and black. This is a dream! Sunset squeezes her eyes shut: This is not true!
"Watch out!" The scream of a panicked Luna snapped Sunset back to reality.
What? How? For some reason, Sunset has already made it to the end of the hall despite the distortion in space. But it's too late, collision is inevitable.
Just a moment before they clash, Luna was lifted from the ground and stuck to the ceiling as if gravity does not exist.
So she is a stand user! Luna thought as she reaches a hand out to Sunset. Yet, she felt nothing as her hand touched Sunset's shoulder. At the same time, the wall in front collapsed, leaving a human-shaped hole on it.
"So, you are a stand user," Luna says before floating towards the debris: " Are you injured?"
"I..." As the dust settled, Luna sees a very confused Sunset sitting on the ground, looking at the palm of her hands they are coated by golden and crimson lines: "What is happening..."
"Well, this is going to be a long story," Luna says before landing: "What else happened today?"
"I..." Sunset slapped herself: "No, this is a dream!"
"No, Sunset," Luna put a hand over Sunset's shoulder as the girl starts floating in space: "Does this feel real to you?"
"Huh?" Sunset rubbed her eyes as gravity no longer has jurisdiction over her: "This is..."
"Now come," Luna says: "We have much to talk about."
"So a stand is a manifestation of your spirit," Celestia explains before locking the door to her office: "When you are injured, so will your stand, and vise versa. If your stand dies, so will you, but your stand may live on when you die."
"I..." Sunset buried her face in her palms: "This is...but how?"
"I know this is a lot to take in," Celestia continues before pouring Sunset a cup of black tea: "Only a stand can hurt a stand and non-stand users cannot see a stand."
"Sorry, Principal Celestia," Sunset exhaled, her face still in her hands: "But all of these is just so hard to believe."
"I completely understand," Celestia sits down on her chair: "Can you summon your stand."
"This is the best I can do," Sunset removed her hands from her face and showed them to Celestia.
"I see," Celestia comments as the girl's hands are covered by gold and red lines: "And I heard that you've activated your standability?"
"I guess?" Sunset stretched the back of her head: "But it was really confusing...like the world around was distorting, coloring was changing, and I don't know!"
"I spoke with Luna about that," Celestia looks at her computer screen: It appears that walls were crushed before you actually reached it, and Luna described a similar experience about trying to stop you."
"I see," Sunset lowered her head: "Sorry for the trouble, I will repair the walls and my locker."
"No need," Celestia says while typing: "I've got that covered. For now, your power is still unknown to us, just be careful from now on, alright?"
"Right," Sunset nods with her eyes closed.
"Ok," Celestia peeks at Sunset from the corner of her eyes as the girl takes a sip from the teacup: "Then you are dismissed."
So she's not pretending, Celestia thinks as Sunset exits the office: Perhaps this time things will be different.
"Is this seat taken?" A woman in her late twenties asks Twilight Sparkle.
"No," The girl asks without looking up as her eyes focus on a textbook.
"It's pretty quiet here," The woman looks around at the empty cafe, her head hidden beneath a hood: By the way, my name is Soleil AuMiroiter."
"Ok," Twilight replies absentmindedly as she flips to another page.
"Physics, eh?" The woman asks: "You know, I used to love physics, especially the part about gravity."
Twilight rolled her eyes, ignoring the stranger while dropping down some notes.
"For example," The woman comments as the book was snatched from Twilight's grip.
"What was that for!" Twilight shout before trying to retrieve her book from the stranger's hand. However, as she looks up, the girl sees the book floating next to the stranger's head.
"Oh my," Twilight takes her glasses off before rubbing her eyes. Too much study, it must be!
"Tell me do you believe in gravity?" The stranger asks as Twilight puts her glasses back on.
"There got to be a string attached somewhere," Twilight stand up before putting her hands on the book.
"Yeah?" The woman chuckled as Twilight tries to take the book back: "So does a string so this?"
"What are you doing!" Twilight tries to take the book, but the book, suspended in midair, refuses to move.
"Now," The woman smirked as the book was released from the invisible force: "Tell me, do you?"
"I do, "Twilight pushes her glasses up after falling back to her seat with a book in her arms.
"You see," The woman shows Twilight her palm as an arrow rests on her hand: "This bought me here. It chooses you."
"I beg your pardon?" Twilight raised an eyebrow: "What?"
"Here," The woman slides Twilight a business card, along with the arrow: "This is my address, find me if you need to."
"I don't..." Just in a moment, the woman is gone, disappearing into thin air as Twilight puts her hand on the items.
"Huh," Twilight rubbed her eyes as a sharp pain shoots up from her fingertip: "Ouch!" Twilight cried out as she examines the little cut. But aside from blood, she sees shinning, almost glitter-like material leaking out of her vein.
"Come in," Celestia says as her fingers dances on the keyboard.
"Sister," Luna enters the office with a mug in her hand: "What do you think?"
"Your mug? Or the situation at hand?" Celestia stretches as Luna closes the office door: "Because someone really needs their eyes repaired from what I can tell."
"The situation at hand," Luna rolled her eyes before leaning against the office table.
"Well," Celestia tosses a piece of broken, crimson-colored gem at Luna: "Remember this?"
"Yes, I do," Luna catches the glowing gem: "What about it?"
"It's reacting to something," Celestia comments as Luna examines the gem.
"Yes," Luna replies while looking at the stone with half of Sunset's cutie mark embedded in it: "So does it mean..."
"She's alive," Celestia exhaled sharply.
"I see," Luna slide the gem back to Celestia: "But what is there for her to take really?"
"The gem," Celestia says, grabbing the glowing stone: "When I touch it with my stand last; my stand cracked."
"What?" Luna almost spit out her drink: "What happened again?"
"Relax," Celestia explains: "Everything went back to normal once I took the gem away."
"So is it safe to assume that the other pieces share similar properties?" Luna asks.
"Perhaps," Celestia put the gem into in her bag: "But the problem is, we still have no idea where the other gems are."
"Maybe Camp Everfree?" Luna suggested: "You know, where we find this one?"
"There is only one problem," Celestia put her feet on the table: "The cave has disappeared without a trace."
"Ok," Luna pushes Celestia's feet off of the table: "You know, maybe something was trying to protect the gems from us? Like some kind of stand?"
"Maybe," Celestia gives Luna a glare: "Maybe the cave itself somehow developed a stand? You know not all stand users are humans."
"I can pay the place a visit," Luna smirked at Celestia's glare before taking a sip from her cup.
"About that," Celestia explains: "The camp is closed and the road to the camp is closed.
"But why?" Luna asks.
"Too many accidents," Celestia gives Luna her phone: "Take a look."
"Five accidents last week?" Luna puts her cup down, her eyes widened at the news: "That's too much of a coincidence!"
"Meaning there is a stand at work," Celestia takes Luna's cup before taking a sip: "We need to contact the foundation, as soon as possible."
"What about Sunset?" Luna asks, her spare hand reaching for the cup as her eyes are on Celestia's phone.
"We need her at our side," Celestia carefully slid the cup back to where it was, all the while using her stand to add to the density of the liquid: "The more stand users we have on our side, the better chance we will have."
"Of course," Luna picks up the cup before taking a sip: "Leave that to me."
"Gah..." Sunset smashed her head against the table as jazz plays in the background. It's a lazy Friday afternoon, and Sunset is the only guest in this little corner cafe.
"Can I take your order?"
"Applejack?" Sunset looks up: "Wait, you work here?"
"Sunset!" Applejack's jaw almost dropped: "Didn't expect to see you here."
"Hey, well," Sunset yawned: "How's your day?"
"Good," Applejack replied: "Can I take your order?"
"Yeah," Sunset rubs her eyes: "May I have a cup of Cappuccino and a croissant please?"
"Sure thing," Applejack drops everything down hastily on her clipboard: "Anything else?"
"Nah, that's it for now." Sunset tosses the menu aside: "By the way, Applejack?"
Applejack is gone when she looks up. Of course, Sunset sighed, why wouldn't she? I've been nothing but rude. This power, the so-called "stand", where have I seen it before? A materialization of one's spirit, unique power, and only viewable to other users...it all sounds so familiar. Sunset bites her thumb: I have read about it before, but where?
"Ouch!" A sharp pain from her left index finger snaps Sunset back to reality: "What?" Sunset examines the tiny wounds: it looks like a paper cut. Sunset looks at the menu on the other side of the table then back at her finger, shrugged, and wrapped napkins around the cut.
"Here's your coffee."
"Woah!" Sunset almost jumped out of her seat: "Applejack? You are quick!"
"Um, thanks." Applejack mumbled, placing a mug full of coffee on the table: "It would be a minute before your croissant is ready."
"Say, Applejack," Sunset asks as she notices that Applejack's left index finger is wrapped in a band-aid: "Did you just get a paper cut?"
"Yes," Applejack raised an eyebrow: "How did you know?"
"Well, you see," Sunset removes the napkin around her finger, revealing her wound: "I got one as well."
"Oh," Applejack frowns before removing the band-aid, only to find her injury gone: "It...looks like mine cut!"
"Applejack," Sunset's hand starts to glow; for now, this is the best she can do to summon her stand: "Can you see this?"
"You..." Applejack's eyes open wide as her voice cracked: "You can do that too?"
"Oh," Sunset frowned as well: "So you are a stand user too!"
"So...magic?" Applejack scratched her head.
"Maybe," Sunset shrugs before grabbing Applejack's hands: "Look, we need to contact the others! If they all are stand users..."
"You know," Applejack takes a seat next to Sunset: "This morning, I saw a weirdo with strange clothing at school!"
"Who might that be?" Sunset asks, all her attention focused on Applejack.
"I don't know," Applejack sighed: "It looks pretty blurry. When I called it, it disappeared in front of my eyes!"
"It must be a stand," Sunset murmurs: "Applejack, you call the girls and I call Principal Celestia!"
"What in tarnation?" Applejack freeze in place: "What in the name of apples and pears is going on?"
"Someone is spying on us!" Sunset explains while pulling out her phone: "And I get a feeling they aren't here to make friends."
"Uh-huh, yes," Celestia whispers, her phone pressed firmly against her ear: "No, don't tell me now. Yes, we are being watched. Right, you take care. Bye."
In the corner of her office, a blue, murky shadow lingers. In the blink of an eye it's gone. Despite looking like a crude 3D projection, the shadow is a stand. But who could it be? It's Friday afternoon, and there's only a few still on campus. Perhaps, checking surveillance camera may reveal the secret. Celestia then turned her attention to a computer screen: Ok, this will do for now. First, let check the library...Is that...Twilight? What is she doing here? The stand is here! It's walking towards...Trixie? It's Trixie? But why? Trixie...Twilight...
My little pony, my little pony...
The sound of her ringtone almost sent Celestia through the roof. It's the admission's office. Celestia takes a deep breath and picked up the phone: "Hello? What? New students next week? But we DO NOT accept transfer mid-semester and right before the music showcase! What? Why would the school board get involved in this? Agh, fine, their names? "
"So we are being watch?" Applejack frowned: "By who?"
"I don't know," Sunset sighed, putting her phone away: "So everybody but Fluttershy replied?"
"Yep," Applejack says as they pull up next to the Shy household.
"Alright," Sunset jumps off of the pickup truck: "Let's go in then."
"FLUTTERSHY!" Applejack shouts before slamming the car door shut behind her: "I AM HERE! JUST WANT TO CHECK IF EVERYTHING IS OK!"
"Maybe we should knock first?" Sunset comments, messaging her ears.
"Doorbell's broke," Applejack shrugs: "Besides, she's probably taking a nap now and won't hear us knocking."
"Yeah, maybe we should try a different approach." Sunset says, reaching into her pocket.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Applejack takes her hat off: "Shy's a light sleeper. She'd normally wake up after that. Something maybe wrong."
"Wait a minute..." Sunset says, still searching in her pocket: "Just a sec...Find it!" Sunset takes out a hairpin. Almost at the same moment, Applejack kicked down the door.
"Let's go." Applejack kick the wreckage aside as Sunset froze in place.
"I was gonna pick the lock!" Sunset's jaw hang low.
"I thought you were gonna kick down the door!" Applejack sighed: "Anyway, let's just go in."
"Fluttershy's gonna be so mad..."
"Fluttershy?" The door to Fluttershy's bedroom is half open: "It's Applejack! I'm coming in!"
""I thought Fluttershy was a light sleeper?" Sunset follows Applejack into Fluttershy's room: "Maybe she's not at home?"
"Well," Applejack freezes in place, her eyes open wide: "She is..."
"It looks like a stick-bug!" Applejack whispers: "Should we wake her up?"
"A stick bug with six human arms and a bucket head with six eyes!" Sunset adds: "Yeah, we should."
"Fluttershy," Applejack tiptoed towards Fluttershy's bed: "Hello? Hey..."
"Applejack?" Sunset murmured as Applejack was sent flying before crushing into the wall behind. The stand, one arm still in a midair, now turns its attention to Sunset. Judging from the blood and teeth shards on the ground, the thing punched Applejack on the face, sending the cowgirl flying. "Applejack?" Sunset calls out: "It's Fluttershy's stand! I think it has gone berserk!"
"Horse apples..." Applejack wheezes as Fluttershy's giant closet crumbles into pieces: "Thank heavens I can transfer damage..."
"Applejack!" Sunset dare not looking back as Fluttershy's stand fixate on her: "Are you ok?"
"Need a dentist now," Applejack adjusts her hat: "Well, so we can't just rush it. That would hurt Fluttershy, right?"
"No, but I have an idea," Sunset explains as a drop of sweat drips down her chain: "The blinds are shut, so I can't do anything. If we have a source of light..."
"GO!" Before Sunset finishes the sentence, Applejack turns on the flashlight on phone: "I will..."
The light was out again. With it, comes Applejack's groan of pain. The stand swiftly moved past Sunset, crushed Applejack's phone alone with her hand.
"APPLEJACK!" Sunset cried out as the stand throw Applejack out of the bedroom window. Clam down, Sunset takes a deep breath as sunlight shine upon her: I must stay calm.... Faster than her thought, however, is the sensation of crushing pain shooting up from her ribcage. Sunset looks down, her brain still registering the situation as two giant fists pounds on her torso. With four more fists still on the way, Sunset fall on her rump. It's over, Sunset thinks: I didn't expect it to end like this...Yet, the fists slows down as the world around seems to change in color.
"What..." Sunset looks around as Fluttershy's stand moves almost in slow motion: Light has slowed down! But I wasn't doing it? Who... Sunset looks behind: a tall, slim humanoid figure with dark yellow and red strips covering its body. Its head is in the shape of an ancient greek helmet, but there are non openings for eyes, nose or mouth. This is my stand! Sunset's eyes open wide before looking back at Fluttershy's: It's still moving in slow motion...How much did I slow down light? It hurt so much, I can't keep this up...Sunset coughed up a mouthful of blood as a piece of pink crystal catches her attention. Something inside tells her to toss it at Fluttershy. Well, what's the harm?
"Walking on Sunshine, that will be your name..." Sunset reaches out to the crystal. Following its owner's command, Walking on Sunshine picks it up. However, a sharp pain almost paralyzed her hand as the hand of Sunset's stand start cracking. With the last of her strength, Sunset commends her stand to toss the crystal at Fluttershy. As the crystal bearing the the symbol of three butterfly lands on Fluttershy, four mighty fists lands on Sunset's back. The last Sunset heard before passing out is Fluttershy's scream of terror.
"Gah..." Sunset groans, her body stiff, her eyelids heavy and her throat parched.
"So you are finally awake, welcome back to the land of living."
"I was dead?" Sunset struggles to open her eyes: "Princess Luna? Is that you? Have you come to pick me up for the afterlife?"
"Luna yes, Princess no," The Vice Principal comments: "And no, I do not have such power."
"Oh," Sunset groans again: "Where am I?"
"Hospital," Luna replies: "You have been asleep for the past week or so. All thanks to Rarity, the situation is under control."
"Stand?" Sunset asks, her eyes half open.
"Yes, all your friends are stand users," Luna continued: "You should thank Rarity, she saved you."
"Wha?" Sunset's eyes bulged out as a tingling sensation, almost as if tiny legs crawling around, comes from inside of her body: "What in Celestia's name?"
"Calm down," Sensing the panic in Sunset's voice, Luna explains: "It's Rarity. Her stand looks like a swarm of tiny spiders made of crystal. They can turn anything into crystal and back. As we are speaking now, a few of those things are repairing your insides by turning damaged parts into crystal, fixing them and turning them back."
"Oh..." Now fully awake with a forced smile on her face, Sunset gagged: "How charming! What is it called!"
"Belle in the Ball," Luna says: "It's named after her sister, Sweetie Bell."
"I see," Sunset inhaled sharply as tiny spiders crawling around in her body cavity: "By the way, why are you here?"
"Well, you certainly haven't noticed the bed beneath me," Luna explains: "We are roommates for now."
"I'm sorry," Sunset apologizes: "I just...I don't know."
"It doesn't matter," Luna sighed: "Sunset, something is wrong here. Someone is trying to infiltrate Canterlot High. Just yesterday, three stand users transferred to our school."
"Mid-semester?" Sunset frowned: "But I thought..."
"The school board somehow get involved," Luna continued: "Besides, I lost a huge portion of my memory after attempting to get to Camp Everfree."
"So, you think the new students are responsible?" Sunset asks.
"Not directly," Luna replies: "Deep within the forest, lies seven pieces of crystal. You have seen one in Fluttershy's room already. As if now, we have a few more pieces, but I know someone will try to take them from us."
"I'm sorry, Vice-Principal," It's Sunset's turn to sigh now: "I'm not qualified for such a job. Nor am I able to protect them. Can't you just call the cops or something?"
"Sharp now, aren't we?" Luna says: "Well, I will not force your hand. But that certain someone, she...awakened her stand with the help of such a crystal. As a result, her stand was powerful beyond imagination. Luck for us, her crystal is now broken and her stand is weakened. However, I do believe you are the only one who can stop her."
"S'up, Ace!" Twilight Sparkle greets: "You done with Physics?"
"Yes," The football player replies, his face distorted as he holds done his laughter: "You seem happy in recently. What happened to 'what is up' and 'Are you done with physics homework'?"
"Well, what can I say," Twilight pushes her glass: "Are you participating in the music thingy?"
"You mean the Music Showcase?" Ace replies, leaning against his locker: "Don't we have like a physics exam and a lab report due the next day?"
"Most students aren't as careful as you and I," Twilight shrugs: "Well, good to know someone here is still sane."
"Say, Twilight," Ace asks: "It's good to know you are happy and all, but don't you think our new Physics teacher is a bit...odd?"
"Oh?" Twilight raised an eyebrow: "How?"
"First, she just appeared out of nowhere," Ace whispers: "One day she's not here, next day she acts like she has been here since forever. No one even questioned what happened to our old teacher! Besides, I saw weird things happening around her just the other day. It's like things are floating in the air and..."
"You are just tired!" Twilight suddenly shouts: "Oh look what time it is! Time for me to go, bye!"
"Wai..." Before he had time to react, Twilight was already out of his sight, leaving Ace standing alone in the hall. Something is definitely wrong. Ace thinks to himself: perhaps I should check out that Canterlot High during the festival. Was our new teacher a student from there?
What...happened? My body..I can't move...Sunset thinks to herself as the girl, now lying face down, struggles to move her body: Yes, I was walking back home...Park! I was in the park...Then someone hit me from the back...
"So you are finally awake. Tell me where the crystal is and you may live."
Is that...Is that my voice? Unable to even move even a muscle, Sunset looks up: It...it's my face! It's me? No...What...My body...why won't it move? Everything hurts...
"Ah, yes, you must be confused," The woman squads down. With a cold tone, she explains: "My name is Sunset Shimmer. Funny, isn't it? We look alike, got the same name, but got different stands."
I have to get up...come on! Move... Sunset grits her teeth as she tries to move, but her body refuse to move.
"Oh right," the human Sunset smirks: "I have you pinned down just in case. You know, most stand users won't tell their opponents what their abilities are, but I will tell you. My stand is called Room of Angels and I can control air pressure and air composition. Pretty sweet, isn't it? Try as you may, you cannot escape air. Besides, I have a pretty far range for my stand so give it up."
Sunset glares at her human counter part as her stand starts to manifest.
"Oh, right, light," Human Sunset giggles: "You can slow down the speed of light, right? Well I've already gotten that taken care of."
I...my head..dizzy...can't...sleep... As her vision blurs, Sunset's vision start to fade.
"You stand is impressive, but you see," human Sunset looks down: "It will get nothing down when both you and your stand are pinned down by air pressure. Oh, did I mention that you brain would shut down within 30 second without oxygen? After that, you will only have 5 minutes to live. You stand is no good if your brain is down. Now, the timer begins, where is the crystal?"
"I..." Sunset opened her lips: "It's..."
"What? You only have 20 seconds lift and hurry it up." human Sunset leans down: "Where is it?'
"Above..."
"What?" Before she could react, an apple hits human Sunset's back. However, instead of bouncing off, the apple cracks her ribs: "Gah! What on earth?"
"You see," With the air pressure back to normal, Sunset get back to her feet, coughing up blood: "I was running out of time, but I just got enough strength left to slow down an apple. When light slows down, mass of an object would also increase. I could't crust you, but I can make one heavy apple!"
"I see," human Sunset stands up: "Smart of you. I should have taken notice. Well, now you are on your feet. I will have no other options. It would take 10 seconds to shut down your brain with complete vacuum, and you can probably get away if you slow down light enough, but with enough air pressure on the other hand..."
Before she could react, Sunset was once more pushed down to the ground. This time, the air pressure on her increases evermore and her consciousness fades.
"There can only be one Sunset Shimmer," her human counterpart says: "Goodbye, mistake."
Sunset opens her eyes. She is still alive. Besides her bed, sits Principal Celestia.
"You are awake," Celestia lets out a sigh of relief: "Thank heavens your friends arrived on time!"
"My...friends?" Sunset sits up: "Are they ok?"
"I'm afraid not," Celestia sighed: "As you know, your...counterpart has a powerful stand. Her power over air makes her almost invincible, but Luna and I arrived on time. Your friends are receiving treatments, but no one was terribly injured."
"So, she overpowered everyone?"
"She overpowered your friends," Celestia rubs her temples:" She has grown more powerful over time, but Luna and I got experience. From this point onwards, I want you and your friends to stay after school and train with us. The more you understand your stand power that more of a fighting chance you have."
"I see, and the crystal..."
"We will talk about the crystal when you grow stronger."
