The still night air did little to assuage Pinkie and Fluttershy as they rode to Pinkie’s house in the back of Jade’s squad car as Jade sped down the road, ignoring the speed limit. Looking out the window, Fluttershy said, “Please don’t take us to our parents, Officer Jade. We need to get back to Crystal Ridge. If Sunset gets there before us, she’ll hurt our friends.”

Looking up through her rearview mirror, she replied, “Fluttershy, it’s one-thirty in the morning. My shift is over at three, and I’m not going to get in trouble with my captain for taking you to a condemned madhouse.”

“Please, Jade?” Pinkie said. “Please with, uh, lots of sprinkles and sugar on top? We promise we won’t wander off. We just need you to take us there to help our friends.”

Officer Cuffs, who had up to this point been quietly working on a police report, finally lost his patience. Turning around, he said, “Listen, girls. Sergeant Jade and I are taking you home, and that’s final, so cool it, both of--”

His words were cut short when Jade shot him an angry glare. Clearing his throat, he decided to return to his report. Noticing what he was typing, Jade said sternly, “Why are you only just now getting to the Hazzle Hooves report, Cuffs?”

Surprised, Cuffs stuttered, “Well, I, uh, we had all those other reports to work on, ma’am. It’s been a busy week, so, y’know…”

With a glare in her eyes, Jade tightened her grip on the steering wheel and let out a stern sigh. “As if I don’t have enough to deal with,” she muttered. Out loud, she said, “I want that report finished and ready for printing by the time we get to Pinkie’s place. Do you understand, Lieutenant?”

“Yes, ma’am. It’ll be ready by then. I promise,” Cuffs said hurriedly.

As Jade made a turn, uncomfortable silence overcame the car, broken only by the chatter from dispatch over the radio. Every now and then, Jade would glance at the radio, then back to her driving, never saying anything. Pinkies hair deflated as she said to Fluttershy, “We’re never going to be able to help Sunset change back to normal, are we, Fluttershy?”

“I don’t know Pinkie,” Fluttershy said quietly. “What we both saw on that video, it, well, it--”

Fluttershy's words where cut short when she heard over the radio, “Ten Eighty-Seven Kilo, what is your current location? Over.”

Picking up the radio, Jade replied, “This is Ten Eighty-Seven Kilo. We are currently driving about fifty towards One-Two-Five Mustang Street and should be there in about twenty minutes. What’s up, dispatch? Over.”

“Ten Eighty-Seven Kilo, we have a disturbance at Crystal Ridge, a possible ten-ten. Got reports of a fight taking place there. Drop off your passengers and head over to Crystal Ridge right away. Over.”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me!” Jade thought to herself. Out loud, she replied, “Copy that, dispatch. We’ll be there ASAP. Over.” Silence overtook the car again until Jade neared Pinkie’s house, when she said to Fluttershy, “Sorry, Fluttershy. Looks like you’ll have to get a ride home from Pinkie's family.”

“Jade, please take us to Crystal Ridge. We need to stop Sunset from hurting our friends,” Fluttershy replied. Looking down, she added, “Why won’t you believe us?”

Pulling into Pinkie’s driveway, Jade got out, opening the back door for Fluttershy and Pinkie, saying as she escorted the girls to the front door, “I won’t believe you because Sunset Shimmer’s dead. It has to be someone else, and I’m going to find out who.”

The front door opened, and Maud appeared in the doorway, staring blankly from Pinkie to Fluttershy before saying, “Pinkie, go to your room. Fluttershy, wait in the living room. I’ll talk with the officer.”

Both girls quickly did as they were told. Maud stepped out into the cold night, saying to Jade, “Is my sister under arrest, officer?”

“No. She did break curfew, but I really don’t have time to deal with that, so I’ll let both girls off with a verbal warning.” Jade turned to leave, saying over her shoulder, “I’ll let this go, but please, for your sister’s sake, keep her out of trouble.”

Jade got back into her squad car and drove off. A few moments later, Maud turned around and went back inside. Closing the door behind her, she heard Fluttershy say, “Maud, we really didn’t mean to cause any trouble. It’s just that Sunset is back, and, well, we need to go to—”

“Crystal Ridge,” Maud interrupted with a blank face. Getting a confused look from Fluttershy, she pointed to Fluttershy's shoes, adding, “You have traces of shale on your shoes.” Maud’s vision unfocused as she continued, “Shale, sedimentary, known as a type of mudstone due to its formation from silt and minerals commonly called ‘mud’.” Walking down the hallway with a surprised Fluttershy in tow, Maud continued, “The area to the east of Canterlot has a large amount of shale relative to the other surrounding areas, so it was a safe bet that you came from there. The specific place was just a guess.”

Entering Pinkie’s room, Maud found her sister sitting on her bed, holding a picture in her hands. Thick tears threatened to break the surface of Pinkie’s eyes. Looking up, she sniffed, saying, “I want Sunny to be Sunny again, Maud. Why’d she have to become that monster we saw at Crystal Ridge?”

“Boulder and I don’t have an answer for you, Pinkie, but we do have a car.” Sitting down next to her sister, Maud gently pulled Pinkie into a warm hug, adding softly, “Dry your tears, Pinkie. I’ll drive you to Crystal Ridge.”

Perking up Pinkie grabbed Maud’s hand, racing towards the garage. Fluttershy followed, getting into Maud’s car soon after the other two. Pinkie had a look of determination plastered on her face as she said, “Alright, it’s time to go save Sunny!”

“But what about Jade?” Fluttershy asked. “You and I both know she won’t like it if we show up while she’s there. Don’t you think we should—”

“Step on it, Maud!” Pinkie interrupted. “We have to get there before Jade does!”

Turning on the car, Maud pulled out into the street. “I don’t know how much help Boulder and I will be, but we’re here for you when you need us.”

“Thanks, Maud. Now no more talking; it's time to go help our friend!”

No one said anything as Maud sped down the highway out of the city, the songs on the radio doing nothing to lift anyone’s spirits. About forty-five minutes later, Maud finally came to the road leading towards Crystal Ridge and pulled up to the building a short distance from Jade’s police car, which was pulled up alongside the road, being pelted by sleet. Pinkie jumped out of the car, racing as fast as her legs could carry her towards the asylum. She arrived just in time to freeze in her tracks as she saw Sunset uppercut Twilight in the jaw with enough force to knock the princess airborne briefly.

“Sunset!” Pinkie screamed over the winds, catching Sunset’s attention. “Stop this! Twilight doesn’t want to hurt you!”

Jade, seeing Sunset was about to lunge towards her two former friends, quickly pulled her mace out, screaming, “Sunset, I order you, in the name of the law, to surrender!”

Moving at blinding speed, Sunset closed the gap between herself and Jade, grabbing the bewildered officer by the throat. Thinking quickly, Jade emptied her can of mace into Sunset’s face, causing the crazed girl to scream in pain and rage. Catching up to Pinkie, Fluttershy screamed, “Everyone get inside while she’s distracted!” Seeing Luna was in the Cakes’ van she added quickly, “Luna, get that van out of here now!”

“On it!” Luna yelled back, revving the engine and speeding off with her injured passengers and Applejack.

Officer Cuffs rushed Sunset, trying to grab and restrain the teenager. Sunset reacted by blinding swinging her fist, catching Cuffs in the temple. Cuffs stumbled a few feet and fell to the ground, unconscious. “Cuffs!” Jade screamed in dismay, reaching for her gun.

Seeing Jade was going for her gun, Celestia yelled, “No, don’t shoot her!” Celestia threw herself in front of Sunset while her goddaughter wiped away the mace covering her eyes, the rain hastening the process.

“What the fuck are you doing?!” Jade screamed. “Get out of the way! I have to take her out.”

“No! You will not hurt my daughter!” Mr. Cake screamed, rushing Jade.

Knocking her to the ground, the two scuffled for a few minutes before Sunset roared, causing Jade and Carrot to stop their fighting as they beheld her in fear. Off to the side, Sonata pulled out her heart stone. Closing her eyes, she said softly, “This has to stop. Please, forgive me, Sunset.”

Opening her mouth, Sonata began to sing as she slowly approached Sunset, her soft song carrying even over the howling wind. Sunset, her vision clearing from the mace, immediately clamped her hands to her ears, but try as she might, she couldn’t stop the beautiful, hypnotic melody from running through her head, slowly dissolving her thoughts of rage and revenge into a light haze. A look of terror came over her face as she fell to her knees, fighting to keep her will from slipping away.

“Stop it, Sonata! I can’t take that damn singing! Knock it off!” Sunset begged.

Sonata didn’t relent. She continued her slow advance toward Sunset, who began swaying on her knees. Desperately, Sunset, grabbing a firm hold on the last shred of her free will, quickly planted her hands firmly into the ground and thrusted her legs outwards, sweeping a surprised Sonata off her feet onto the cold, muddy ground. Sonata saw stars as she hit her head on the ice and snow. As she moaned dazedly, Sonata saw Sunset struggle back to her feet and race toward her angrily. The last thing she saw was Sunset’s boot rushing toward her head.

Satisfied that the siren was unconscious, Sunset looked back at Twilight, saying, “Now, it's your turn, Twilight.”

Pushing Mr. Cake off of her, Jade screamed out, “Get away from her you, mon—”

A quick fist to the back of her head from Mr. Cake sent Jade toppling to the ground. Kneeling down, he quickly picked up the unconscious officer, yelling out to everyone else, “Get inside!”

“Are you nuts?! We can’t leave Sonata or Officer Cuffs out here with Sunset!” Fluttershy screamed out in fear. “She’ll kill them both!”

Ignoring Fluttershy, Mr. Cake rushed to the asylum with Jade over his shoulder. Celestia followed suit, rushing over and slinging Sonata over her shoulder. Getting the picture, Fluttershy ran over and retrieved Cuffs, her fear alone giving her the strength to lift him. Turning, Celestia shouted, “Run!”

Everyone, Twilight included, ran towards the asylum. Twilight quickly took the lead, yelling, “Follow me! I know where we can hide out!”

The small, frightened group made it to the steel door Twilight and Applejack found earlier, Sunset in hot pursuit. Twilight pulled on the door with Pinkie helping as best as she could. With their muscles straining, both screamed in fear and exertion, getting the door open just in time. Everyone rushed inside as Mr. Cake slammed the door shut, saying, “This door won’t keep her out for long. We need to think of something fast.”

“I can help…” Sonata said sadly, having come to sometime during the chase. She noticed Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie looking at her with a hint of suspicion, and she continued steadily, “What? I’m with you guys. I don’t want to lose Sunset, either. I love her, and I want to see her happy.”

As Fluttershy and Pinkie exchanged glances, Twilight asked as she helped Celestia lay Sonata down on her back, “Sonata, you said during the fight that you knew why Sunset was doing this. What has caused her to become so evil? I know Sunset turned into a demon during the Fall Formal, but I don’t remember her having this much strength or speed.”

“It has to do with how she came back,” Sonata explained. “You see, Sunset is what my species would call fury-born.” Slowly standing up on very wobbly legs, Sonata laid a hand to her head, adding, “Elysium is the real reason Sunset is doing this. She was cast out of what you humans—” her steely gaze fell to Pinkie and Fluttershy “—call heaven. Sunset was at eternal peace, but that was taken from her, and because she can’t go back, she’s going to force you, Twilight, to send her and the queen of the furies, who is possessing Sunset, back to Tartarus forever.” Looking down with profound sadness etched across her face, she finished, “Once her body is completely turned to ash and nothing remains, both she and the fury queen will have to go back to Tartarus forever, for you see, the fury queen is Tartarus incarnate.”

“No,” Fluttershy gasped. “That’s horrible! Did… Did we do this to her?”

“Did any of you try to stop her from being stabbed with the Demon’s Heart?” Sonata asked angrily. The only reply she got were ashamed, averted glances. “Then, yes, you all had a hand in this, and now, you have a price to pay: either you kill her, or she kills all of us.” Softening a little, she added, “There is, however, one way to stop this without anyone dying.”

“How? Tell us, please,” Twilight began, finishing urgently as she heard the metal of the door groan under Sunset’s assault, “You have to tell us before she breaks in here.”

Sonata looked at her audience as she said definitively, “In order to end this, you must give her a reason to live, a reason to love again. The best way to do so is to give her someone that she is directly related to by flesh and blood.”

Next Chapter: Sonata's Secret (Edited by Icecreammac) Estimated time remaining: 4 Hours, 22 Minutes