“I don’t know if I should take you to the orphanage, police, or asylum,” Sunset muses.

A snort from behind answers Sunset. Feeling a firm hand on her shoulder makes her stop. She reads the sketchbook that takes up her field of view when she turns around.

“I can’t leave you here.”

Writing.

“Being a great hunter and survival expert is good and all but this is a national park. Everything in here is protected.”

Writing.

Sunset reads the paragraph of writing. Her brows knit together. “Really playing the ‘alien’ angle, huh? I’m sure doctors have the confidentiality to keep your blood results from the government.”

Yellow eyes bore holes into Sunset; clearly seeing her in a new light. Shade runs her left hand through her short mane. She had to think to herself for a moment.

For as long as she can remember she had always fought tooth and nail against Fate and Destiny. Maybe that trait is what Destiny had instilled in her? She growls with frustration. She hates being the puppet. She hates how tiny and insignificant she feels going up against Destiny and Fate.

Sunset for the most part stands awkwardly and shifts uncomfortably in her boots. She watches as conflict wages inside Shade through her light yellow eyes.

“You, um, okay?” Sunset asks. A lame smile on her face when Shade focuses on her.

Shade inhales a steady breath before writing again. Here goes nothing. Whatever happens, she will be strong enough to escape any situation.

Sunset reads the the two sentences twice. Then a third time. Her face lights up with a smile. “I’ll do my best to not betray your trust then. I’m not going to pretend I have all the answers but I’ll help you as best I can.”

Uncertainty storms around Shade’s heart. As quickly as it appears she blows it away. If things go sideways she can always just kill everything in her path, just like she always has. She writes again in the sketchbook and holds out her right hand.

Before Sunset can shake Shade’s hand, the albino girl grabs the amber forearm to pull the crimson and yellow haired girl close. Cyan eyes meet saffron eyes. Her view of the smirking pale face exchanges with the view of a sketchbook with words. Several words stand on a line.

We are going to be the best of friends.

Shade rests her back against a tree, a type of conifer judging by the leaves and seed pods, as she draws in the sketchbook. She dangles a pale white leg off the branch. Her first drawing had been of Sunset akin to a black and white headshot. Millennia of experience and her steel trap memory aid with the realism of all her drawings.

Her second drawing stands across from her not nearly as tall as the one her back presses against. Her third drawing sits in the grass, half of the scales of the seed pod missing and half eaten by her fourth drawing. A type of rodent perhaps? With a fluffy tail and beady black eyes. The fifth and current drawing had swooped down from the sky to snatch up the small beast in powerful talons. Footsteps approaching switch her on guard.

Familiar looking hair cautiously steps forward to examine the miniature teepee of twigs and moss at the base of the tree. Shade jumps down from her perch to land behind Sunset silently. She stops herself from reaching out and scaring Sunset. Instead she whistles like one of the small birds she had observed during Sunset’s outing.

Upon hearing the whistle, Sunset turns around to see Shade standing a meter away. “Are you a like some ninja alien?”

Shade scrunches her faces as she mouths, “‘Ninja’?”

“Ninjas. You know—stealthy assassins?” Sunset emphasizes by taking a mock ninja stance.

Shade snaps into a boxing stance, squaring up to Sunset, wielding a steely expression.

“No, no, no!” Sunset shakes her head and hands. “I don’t want to fight!”

Ten tense seconds pass before Shade lowers her fists and returns to her neutral stance; her face impassive.

“Looks like you know how to handle yourself.” Sunset slides the bulging backpack off her back. “I brought some clothes and some food. Sorry for taking so long.”

Shade shrugs. She picks up the sketchbook and turns to a blank page.

Sunset notices the drawing of herself. “Wait! Did you draw that?”

Nod.

“That’s beautiful.”

Writing.

Sunset scoffs at the word. “I’m not narcissistic! I was talking about how you drew me.”

Shade taps at the word ‘narcissist‘ with the eraser of the pencil.

“Just get dressed.” Sunset huffs and turns around.

A few minutes later, Shade finds herself in a dark grey t-shirt, black shorts that she feels are too short, white socks, and monotone sneakers. Not exactly her liking but she is thankful nevertheless.

Sunset scrutinizes Shade’s outfit, frowning at the slightly sagging blue jean shorts revealing the pink underwear. “May need to get you a belt.”

Nod.

“Okay. You ready?”

Head shake.

“Why not?”

Shade flips to one of the earlier pages she has written in.

“You are either super paranoid or overly cautious to have come up with all this.” Shade grins and turns the page for Sunset to read the back. “‘Prepared’.”

Much to Sunset’s surprise Shade’s plan is going as smooth as possible. Of course the Vanhoover police had questions. Even more questions surface when the medical examination discovers the big scars on Shade’s chest and back. By the end of the day Shade and Sunset are in the back of a car on their way to the orphanage.

Hard Edge peels her brown eyes away from the saffron eyes that watch her in the rear view mirror. Her past twelve years as a case worker tell her that the albino girl is hiding something. Hard Edge plans on getting in touch with her twin in the Equestrian Bureau of Intelligence to further investigate the girl. For now, Hard Edge will handle Shade with the same care and respect of all her charges.

The grey sedan passes through the wrought iron front gate of Vanhoover’s Youth Foundation. A large four story mansion rises from the center of the property; its dark gray stone masonry blends with the night. Lights from windows and the entrance of the mansion break the camouflage.

“I think you’ll like it here,” Sunset breaks the silence, “I do. I’ll introduce you to my best friend Starlight Glimmer.”

Shade removes her left hand from the book of “sign language” to give Sunset a thumbs up.