The first few days with her new “hand” were perhaps the hardest for Sunset. This strange demonic appendage was a challenge to control at first, and it felt, unlike her real hand. At first, it hardly obeyed her conscious thought, and only felt like it was vaguely interpreting what she wanted it to do. The thing had a mind of its own, but after eight days of training herself to use it, she had begun to get it to behave as the original hand had.

Still, there was a matter of concealing it. Its disgusting claw-like appearance would attract attention for sure, so she had begun to wear a black leather glove over it for the time being. She was fortunate, that the blackened skin seemed to stop around her wrist, so a glove and a wristband did the trick of hiding the appendage from others, who would surely have some questions that she couldn't answer if they saw it.

Now that she had it under her control, she needed to understand the extent of what new abilities the demon hand offered her. The woman sighed and sat down on a bed in the hotel she had chosen to stay at after her encounter. She had quickly moved the portal out of the lab to a secret and secure location in the wilderness where no one would look for it. If Serenade sent more minions her way, she would prefer they be forced to face the rough wilderness rather than land in her lab where they had access to tons of materials that could potentially benefit them.

On top of that, she knew she couldn’t return to the lab for some time. It was very likely that Slice had managed to inform Serenade of a successful kill before his death. Telepathy was not out of the reach of imagination of Serenade’s abilities, and if she believed that Sunset was dead after that little incident, it was advantageous to continue to let Serenade believe such a thing. Sunset would be able to move a little more freely with Serenade thinking she was dead.

Closing her eyes, Sunset turned to face the mirror near the bed and waited a few painful seconds before opening them. She opened her eyes and there in the mirror was the familiar face of her demonic self staring back at her, fangs turned into a crooked smile as the creature’s hair moved like a wildfire.

Sunset focused herself and spoke directly to the creature. “So, we’re allies now then?”

“Is that what you call our relationship? An alliance?” The demon answered casually.

“What would you call it?” Sunset raised a brow.

“A business decision. You wanted to live, and I wanted freedom, we both get what we want this way…” The demon chuckled mischievously.

Sunset rolled her eyes before she leaned in, placing her hands on her knees. “I’m sure you’re getting more than that out of this deal…”

“That’s true, but why are you wasting my time with this pointless conversation? I’m a demon, we’ve already established that my intentions are impure, volatile, and heinous. I don’t see what you hope to discover by digging deeper.” The demon laughed.

You have a point there. Sunset thought to herself.

“Have you forgotten that I can hear your thoughts too? I’m in your head, just as I’m always at you shadow…” The demon reminded her.

Sunset sighed and shook her head in annoyance. “So, what do I call you even? I don’t think I’ve ever asked for your name…”

“I suppose just calling me by your own name frightens you, doesn’t it?” The demon asked.

“Something like that…” Sunset admitted as she glanced away in shame.

“Why? You should be proud, you’ll make a fantastic demon, you may even be more capable than Serenade herself!” The demon praised.

“I’m nothing like her, let’s get that straight. Still, it would be better if I had a name for you…” Sunset continued.

The demon sighed and shook its head as well. “You’re a real killjoy, know that? Fine, you can simply refer to me as your shadow, or just ‘Shadow’ if you prefer. I’m a creation of yours anyway, so it’s not like I was born with a name…”

“So I really did create you then?” Sunset blinked.

Shadow nodded gleefully. “Of course; what were you hoping that I was summoned from the depths of hell to possess you? No, the reality is that I was created by your own hatred and greed. You allowed those feelings to fester enough to create the seed that would give birth to me. It’s rare, but every now and then, someone comes about that is just the right candidate for a demon to be birthed.”

“And I fit those criteria?” Sunset asked.

“I don’t think a better candidate could be asked for. You’re so full of raw potential power-wise, and your completely fucked up emotional state makes you susceptible to darkness… It’s so so so… delectable…” Shadow licked her lips as she spoke, almost as if she could taste the emotion.

“You’re getting some kind of sick pleasure out of my suffering, aren’t you?” Sunset grunted.

“You certainly are a master of asking obvious questions…” Shadow rolled her eyes.

Looking down at her gloved hand, Sunset closed her fingers and looked back at Shadow in the mirror. “How does this demonic power work, exactly?”

“So, you actually intend on using it to defeat Serenade then?” Shadow raised a curious brow.

Sunset crossed her arms. “If you don’t get in my way…”

“Relax, I’m a demon, but we demons don’t exactly have any kind of alliance with other demons for no reason. I wouldn’t side with another demon just because they too, are a demon. I have no care what happens to Serenade, you can go ahead and kill her for all I care. Hell, it would be beneficial to me, as I would hate to be ruled by that cunt as the demon lord anyway…” Shadow crossed her arms in mimic of Sunset.

Sunset had a general understanding of the demon lord at this point. She knew that only an extremely powerful and prominent demon could rise to such a rank and that Serenade was slated for it, but during their brief foray into the demon world together, Sunset and Cinder had survived quite the ordeal and learned much of the ways of a demon.

Further research told her that something she didn’t want to think about was another possibility: she herself could become the demon lord too. She had overcome the trials presented in hell and managed to escape back to the mortal world, a feat that very few demons could achieve, on top of that, she had darkness within her and even had been a demon herself briefly.

“I’m a demon now, right?” Sunset asked.

“Yes, though an impure one,” Shadow answered.

“Meaning that Serenade and I are very different in our capabilities then?” Sunset asked.

“Yes, she gave herself fully to darkness, you resist it, even now I can feel your resistance…” Shadow shook her head in disappointment.

“Do you think…” Sunset bit her lip before continuing. “I could even become the demon lord?”

“Who knows?” Shadow shrugged.

“Is there some kind of prophecy about that, maybe? Some kind of information that only demons would know?” Sunset asked.

“While demons possess basic knowledge of how our own abilities work, and the basic knowledge that we’re a demon, don’t forget that I am still you. I can’t access information that isn’t already in your head. In essence, you’re talking to yourself right now, I’m merely a manifestation of your darker side…” Shadow explained.

“So we’re… the same person…” Sunset gritted her teeth at the thought.

“Yes. I exist because you exist. In other words, I am you, and you are me. That’s why you can’t really get rid of me. I exist in your thoughts, your mind, your memories, places you can not extract me from…” Shadow explained.

Looking back at her hand, Sunset squinted. “And the more I focus on you, the more things like this hand become possible, right?”

“Something like that…” Shadow nodded.

Sunset didn’t know what that would mean for her well-being or her health though. Was it wise to use these demonic abilities? Surely it would be detrimental to her health, so she quickly decided she would use them sparingly. Only when she needed them, would she use them and in controlled bursts. The last thing she wanted was to allow the demon inside of her to gain complete control. If she allowed that, she would never see her family again, that much was certain.

Sunset spoke up to the demon before her. “I’m in control, we’re doing all of this my way, got it?”

Shadow laughed. “Have you forgotten that I am you? Don’t worry, I’m not going to influence your decisions, that’s entirely your choice, Sunset…”

Was that really true? Were her choices really her own, or would the darkness within her influence them? Or rather, had they already been influenced up to that point? Was her entire life manipulated by darkness?

She shook her head and reminded herself that she promised herself she would never be controlled by darkness again. She had tried to stay true to that promise.

Then again, she once had almost given in in the past. During her fight with Adagio, she almost gave in to the darkness within her to defeat the siren. If it weren’t for Twilight’s interference, she may have actually gone past a point of no return. The capability was within her.

No. Sunset shook her head as she thought it over. That was a long time ago. I’m much stronger than that now. I’ll never go back to what I was.

Sunset dropped her bag onto the nearby grass and looked around the woods to see if anyone was nearby. Traveling to the heart of the forest put enough distance between her and society to where she felt semi-confident that no one would see her. The Everfree forest was secluded this time of year, as the summer camp was closed, so she wouldn’t be bothered.

Taking a deep breath, the woman removed the leather glove from her right hand and the wrist guard above it. She haphazardly allowed them to fall to the ground before raising the claw that had replaced her hand to get a closer look at it. Its black and leathery appearance was eerie, but its pointed talons were even worse. This hand was not her own, but a perversion of what was once there. She even refused to put her wedding ring back on it, this was not the hand that proposed to Twilight.

Opening and closing her fingers, Sunset focused on trying to maintain control of the appendage.

From behind her, her shadow took shape and formed a dark apparition of the creature she knew as “Shadow”. Shadow spoke in a bored tone. “What’re you doing here, Sunset?”

“I have to see for myself the full scope of this power…” Sunset explained.

“I thought you were against using demonic powers?” Shadow mocked.

Sunset nodded. “That hasn’t changed, however, the reality is that I have them now, and they may be needed to defeat Serenade. My powers aren’t as strong here as they are in Equestria, and on top of that, I have no Siren’s Bane this time. I need to understand the full scope of what I can do if I’m serious about killing her.”

“You said kill, so I’m guessing this time you’re determined to end her?” Shadow asked.

“I have no choice…” Sunset shook her head.

“Said the future demon lord…” Shadow mocked.

Sunset ignored the taunt and instead focused her mind. She knew that so long as she concentrated on her power, it should reveal itself to her. She could feel her right hand pulsing and almost whispering to her, giving her the secrets to the abilities it allowed her to perform. It felt unnatural, alien even like there was something vile inside of her body.

She tried to ignore these feelings though, and instead, focused on what she could do.

Watching the shadow of a tree that was a good eight feet away from her, Sunset crouched down onto the ground and gazed at her hand for a brief moment before placing it onto the ground itself. When it touched a shadow, she concentrated and sure enough, her hand almost seemed to warp through the ground and come out of the shadow further away from her.

She pulled her hand back and clenched it a few times as she observed it.

“You’re a shadow walker,” Shadow stated plainly.

Sunset didn’t respond, she just continued to stare at her hand.

“You can move freely wherever there is darkness. You can literally move through the shadows themselves… And so long as you’re in the shadows, you’re safe from conventional means of attack…” Shadow explained.

“I’m assuming that I’m not invincible in the shadows though?” Sunset asked.

“No. Light that dispels the shadows will obviously force you out, and naturally, light magic will hurt like a mother fucker if you let it touch that hand…” Shadow pointed out.

Looking at her normal hand, Sunset glanced back at Shadow. “But I am free to use light magic with my left hand, right?”

“Sure, I guess you have the added benefit of being able to play both sides.” Shadow chuckled.

But the more I use demonic energy, the faster it’ll spread throughout my body. I need to find a way to reduce how much power I use when I am forced to use it so that it has a lesser effect on me. Sunset thought to herself.

She could practice slowly on how to efficiently use her power without using too much energy to perform the same tasks. That way, she could slow down the spread of the demonic growth on her hand.

Naturally, Shadow heard her thoughts. “You really think that you can somehow control the demon inside of you? You’re in too deep. Look at your hand, it’s already been claimed by darkness, and you somehow think you can manipulate your way out of your fate? Face it, Sunset, your fate is to become a demon, you chose that fate the day I was born, and you know it.”

Closing her hand, Sunset shook her head. “No. Fate isn’t real. We all pave our own paths…”

“Is that so?” Shadow asked.

“You’ll see.” Sunset nodded.

“I look forward to finding out which of us is right then.” Shadow mocked.

Eclipse stood in front of the mirror after a shower and glanced at the attractive male staring back at him. His face was very effeminate, and his long shining hair complimented it well. It was silky and straight, but thick. Eclipse knew all too well that he was a desirable male among females and of course other males. He had an aura about him that he knew made him sexy.

Running a hand down his chest, he smiled as he saw his physique, but stopped after his hand touched the pendant hanging from his neck. His hand clenched around it and he uttered to himself. “Galeal…”

He could still remember how he smelt, that masculine musk of his, with a hint of sandalwood from his body spray. Eclipse shuddered as he remembered the feeling of his feathers touching his body. They had an inviting warmth to them, combined with the blanket-like feel of his fur. Eclipse was especially fond of his former lover’s wings, how he would wrap them around him when they slept, it really did things for him.

There was no denying it, Eclipse was still in love with him, but he knew they would never see each other again. His trip to the human world was not authorized and thus was one-way. He couldn’t go back to Equestria no matter what he did, and even if he could, he would likely be tried as a criminal for use of the portal, among the other crimes he had committed. Sure, Sunset could vouch for him with her sway with the princess, but he loathed the idea of asking her for a favor.

Drying himself off, he came out of the bathroom and sat down on the bed with a towel wrapped around his waist as his long hair draped over part of his face. Sunset eyeballed him from a desk nearby and spoke. “You look down, which is unusual for you…”

“As if you know me at all…” Eclipse commented.

Sighing, Sunset shook her head. “You’re the one that refuses to open up…”

“Why should I open up to someone like you?” Eclipse asked.

Turning in her chair, Sunset put down the pen she was using and gave him a serious stare. The two looked at each other for a solid eight seconds before she spoke again.

“You know, I know what it’s like to endure hardship… I didn’t come from a life of privilege, my parents neglected me and I ran away when I was just a kid to come here… I lived in the woods for many years and I was treated as an outsider for a long time…” Sunset began.

“Sounds like you made that choice yourself…” He smirked at her.

Sighing, she nodded. “Yes, I did, and I’ve been paying for my mistakes ever since.” The woman looked at her gloved hand and then back at Eclipse. “Say what you want, but I know I chose the fate that made this arm a reality. My bitterness, anger, and negative emotion lead me down a path that has caused me great pain and sorrow since then. Perhaps you should open up so you don’t end up making the same mistakes as me?”

Eclipse scoffed and looked away in disgust. “You and I are nothing alike. I don’t regret any of my choices. If bad things happen to me, it’s because I chose to push through them and not to run away like you. I fight for a different reason all together…”

Sunset ran a hand through her long locks as she looked him up and down. He was serious, and she could tell. Eclipse didn’t have it in him to live in denial, everything he did, he did proudly, even if it was a mistake. In a way, she wished she was more like him. He was so young, yet he had so much wisdom about the world.

“It sounds to me like you’ve had some good mentors in your life…” Sunset raised a brow.

He smirked at her once more. “Some of the best, that’s for sure.”

“What will you do when this is all over? That’s what I’d like to know…” Sunset asked.

Eclipse shrugged. “When it’s all said and done, and Serenade is dead… I suppose I can just die after that. There isn’t much left for me once that’s complete.”

“Sounds like a worthless existence, perhaps you need to find more meaning to your life?” Sunset suggested.

He shook his head. “My life never had meaning to begin with. I think that’s a reality we all have to face… We all think that there’s some greater purpose for us all, but maybe there is no reason for us to even exist.”

“Maybe that’s what Serenade thinks?” Sunset grinned.

“You’d dare compare me to her?” Eclipse growled.

“Well, think about it. She’s an immortal being, she isn’t supposed to die, so she must fear death, but at the same time after such a long existence… She probably has come to the conclusion that her own existence has no meaning either… Perhaps that’s what motivates her to be how she is?” Sunset suggested.

“It doesn’t matter. Reason or no reason, she has earned the death that awaits her. The universe will be an infinitely better place without her existence…” He hissed.

Sunset’s grin turned into a genuine smile as she nodded at her partner in crime. “That is definitely something we can agree on.”

Checking their phone, a woman donning a dark blue hoodie concealing her face nodded to herself as she noted the time. Given the information she was privy to, Sunset Shimmer would be meeting with her daughter after almost eight years apart in a matter of moments. In exactly eighty minutes, the two family members would be reunited after such a long separation. She wasn’t fully aware of how it would all play out, but she knew it would come to be regardless.

It was all perfect, as all of the children of Sunset and her friends would be accounted for, meaning that this particular meeting wouldn’t be interrupted by any of them.

Standing at the gate to the Shimmer estate, the woman looked up at the lavish gates and nodded to herself as she began to climb over the tall gate. She didn’t want to waste any time trying to use the intercom and explain a situation that was probably best explained in person. With respectable speed and agility, she was able to scale the large iron gate without much effort. Her body was still in incredible form, as she felt as youthful as ever.

Walking down the long driveway toward the mansion in the distance, she took some time to admire the architecture. Sunset and Twilight had made renovations over the years, but the basic look of the estate seemed to remain the same. It was obvious that Sunset had a fondness of how the Shimmer family had left the place and was hesitant to make any major changes.

After a short walk of around eight minutes, the hooded woman found herself at the front door. With a shrug, she reached forward and picked up the large knocker and banged it eight times before stuffing her hands into the large pocket of her blue hoodie. She waited patiently, and sure enough, the door opened, and there stood a rather attractive, yet somewhat dorky woman in glasses.

Twilight Shimmer eyed the hooded woman up and down and adjusted her glasses before checking her black blouse as she raised an eyebrow. She had on a leather miniskirt, with a pair of purple heels. “May I help you?” She asked with a rather annoyed tone.

“May I come in?” The hooded girl asked.

Twilight squinted as she examined the figure that she could not even see the face of. “No offense, but I don’t usually allow those who sneak onto my property to just enter my home. How did you even get past the gate?”

“I climbed over it,” the girl replied.

“See, that is exactly why I shouldn’t let you into my home… I’m going to give you three seconds to vacate this property before I call the police…” Twilight began to close the door, but the hooded woman quickly placed a hand upon the door, stopping her. Her grip was quite strong, and she was able to stop Twilight in her tracks. No matter how much she pushed against it, the door refused to budge from the girl’s grip.

A cold bead of sweat ran down Twilight’s neck as she watched the girl carefully. With the other hand not on the door, the woman removed her hood as she spoke. “I don’t think that will be necessary…”

When the hood came down, the woman flicked her head, and long red and yellow hair came out from her hood, falling down her form and sitting below her shoulders in a thick ponytail. It was wavy and messy, but attractive. Her face was soft and pale, but most importantly, she had those teal piercing eyes. The same piercing teal eyes that Twilight knew so well. She knew it couldn’t be, but it was.

“S-sunset!?” Twilight gasped.

The girl shook her head. “I’m afraid that I’m not your wife, Twilight. Sorry to disappoint you like this, but you have me mixed up with her. We’re not one in the same sorry to say…”

Twilight shook her head in disbelief. “You’re not Sunset, yet you look just like her… Who are you?”

“May I come in? It might be easier to explain if we can sit down.” The redhead asked.

Nodded, Twilight opened the door more and offered to allow the doppelgänger to enter her home. After a few moments, the two found themselves in one of the many living rooms of the mansion. The Sunset doppelgänger looked around with curiosity before focusing her eyes on Twilight. “So, you’ve been living here since you and Sunset got married then?”

Twilight nodded before sitting down on the couch, gesturing with her hand for the other woman to sit down with her. Nodding, the Sunset look-alike sat down and waited patiently for Twilight to initiate conversation.

The tension and suspense between the two lasted for several minutes before Twilight started the dialogue. “So, who are you, and why are you here? More importantly, why do you look like my wife?”

“This might seem a bit difficult to believe, Twilight, but I know so much more than you could possibly imagine…” The redhead said.

“At this point… I don’t think anything is that difficult to believe anymore…” Twilight said quietly.

The redhead chuckled and nodded. “Yes, I can imagine.”

“So, who are you, exactly?” Twilight asked.

“I suppose you can just call me Sunset for simplicity’s sake…” The other woman nodded.

“Fine… Sunset then… Who are you?” Twilight asked.

Sunset placed a hand upon her chin and looked up in thought. It wasn’t the easiest question to answer. She considered it for a few moments before shrugging. “I wish I could answer that, but it’s not exactly an easy question to answer. The story is long and complex, and I don’t have that much time…”

Leaning in with interest, Twilight squinted at her. It was uncanny how much she looked just like her wife.

“So why are you here then?” Twilight raised a brow.

A smile came to the woman’s face as she reached across the table and placed her hands with the palms facing up. “It has to do with Serenade Dazzle… A demon from Equestria… I’m sure you’ve heard of her by now…”

“The same demon that Sunset left here to defeat… Again… She never really told me much about her though, Sunset didn’t really want to talk about her…” Twilight admitted.

Sighing, Sunset closed her eyes for a brief moment as she braced herself. “There are things you need to see, Twilight… You have to truly understand what your wife is up against, it could mean the difference between life and death for you…”

Gulping, Twilight touched her chest in concern as she felt a cold sweat run down the nape of her neck. “L-life and death?”

Sunset nodded. “Serenade isn’t above using you as a pawn to get to Sunset. Especially since she’s nearby now, you’ll have to be more careful than ever from here on.”

“How do you know so much about Serenade?” Twilight changed the subject.

“I’m sure you’ve seen the Adagio shades by now?” Sunset asked.

Twilight had been told about them briefly, and even caught a glimpse of one about eight days ago, though the apparition didn’t say anything to her, and at the time she thought she was hallucinating until Horizon explained what she knew about the creature.

“They’re some kind of projection of Adagio, right? They seem to appear before anyone who was connected to her…” Twilight said.

“Correct, because that’s the extent of my reach. Though the term ‘connection’ can be very loose, and I can sometimes make them appear if the connection isn’t a direct one, but through indirect contact, it’s very complicated how it works, but that’s the short version…” Sunset explained.

Twilight’s eyes widened as she said those words. “Wait, you created those things!? How!?”

Sunset gestured with her hand for Twilight to calm down. “The shades are nothing more than manifestations of Adagio’s memories. So I can’t show you anything with them that Adagio didn’t already know…”

“So you can give Horizon and Sunset information that could help them, right!?” Twilight placed both hands on the table in excitement.

“It doesn’t work that way, Twilight. There is a limit to my power, and the more enriched the memory, the more power it takes to show. Some memories are guarded more than others, that and it wouldn’t be right of me to just give away the memories of someone else…” Sunset frowned.

Twilight blinked. She was a bit confused as to why this woman was even concerned about the morality of sharing the memories of a dead girl, a murderer at that, a monster.

“There is a memory though that I think you need to see, Twilight…” Sunset held out both of her hands.

Hesitantly, Twilight took the woman’s hands in her own and closed her eyes.

I’ll never forget those flames. While they burned my mother, they burned a scar into my mind that I knew I’d never heal from. Mortals will always destroy that which they don’t understand.

I remember I once asked my mother why sirens existed, and she couldn’t answer that question. Maybe there never was a reason to begin with; our purpose was only to suffer and cause suffering to others. We are patrons of misery, and misery will always follow us wherever we go. It was that day that I knew my lot in life was a horrible one, and when I looked down at my little sister, I’m sure she knew it too.

“Burn the monster!” A pony in the crowd shouted as they tossed more torches into the fire.

We watched from a safe distance, cloaks covering us to hide from the crowd. We weren’t strong enough to stop them, we weren’t strong enough to protect our mother. She burned in silence, she didn’t scream, she didn’t beg, all she did was smile lightly as she always had as our coward of a father tried to save himself.

“She had me under her spell! She controlled me!” He lied. He knew if he stood by their relationship, he too would be subjected to the same treatment.

She kept that smile as the flames rose. “I have never put you under any spell, my love. If anything, I was under your spell. I will always love you…”

“How can she say something like that…?” I spoke quietly to myself.

My sister, only a small child at the time watched with unblinking eyes. She didn’t cry, she didn’t even sniffle.

“Come on, we can’t stay here any longer, we have to get out of here…” I coaxed as I tapped her shoulder lightly.

Serenade stood still, didn’t move an inch. I tapped her again and this time she reluctantly began to follow me, though with her eyes focused on the scene before her for another few painful seconds before taking her leave with me.

With the blanket of the night shielding us from any who would wish to give us the same fate as our late mother, we managed to get deep into the woods near our village, far out of sight while the moon was bright in the sky. We had walked for a good few hours before I decided to let us rest.

“We’ll camp here tonight,” I instructed.

Serenade said nothing.

Sighing, I began to gather materials to create a fire so we could keep warm, though fire was the last thing I wanted to see.

A little effort and I had a flame kindled that turned into a proper campfire. I had learned the trick from my father, the bastard.

I sat across from my sister who stared blankly at the crackling flames in front of her. I leaned in and smiled lightly to try and soften the mood. “Hey, at least we have each other, right?”

She didn’t answer.

I let out a sigh and leaned back onto the log I was sitting on before I heard her speak the first words I had heard out of her mouth in hours. “Why would mortals do something like that…?”

Frowning, I tried to think of what mother might have said, but truthfully, I was still a child myself and didn’t quite understand her wisdom at that time either.

“Mortals… They… They destroy things that they are afraid of, I guess…” I tried to explain.

“Mortals are cowards… They called us monsters…” Serenade spoke quietly.

I don’t think I will ever forget the face she made. Her eyes became angered and furrowed, and the face that I always knew to be smiling turned into a scowl. I could see fury and anger ignite in her.

“Mortals… I hate them… All of them… One day they will pay, I just need to get stronger…” Serenade gritted her teeth, almost hissing as she spoke.

Blinking, I tried to calm her down. “You shouldn’t say things like that… It’s not what mother would have wanted…”

“Mother is dead. Mortals killed her… One day, I’ll make every single one of them pay for what they have done to us immortals…” Serenade threatened.

From that day forward, Serenade’s heart became twisted. She would never smile again, and her hatred for mortals grew and grew. I knew that one day, the fire of her anger might burn the entire world down. I had to keep her in check, I had to protect her from her own anger…

Quickly, Twilight released Sunset’s hands and jumped backward. She found herself trembling after witnessing the painful memory. It was almost like she had lived it herself, she could feel the emotion that Adagio had felt. The pain she had endured, it felt so real to Twilight. She wrapped her arms around herself and shuddered.

“That was… It was…” Twilight couldn’t even finish her sentence.

“Painful to endure.” Sunset finished the sentence for her.

Twilight just nodded.

There was silence for a brief moment until Twilight sat back down and composed herself.

“I could feel her pain… It was almost like I was living it myself… Adagio had to endure something like that… And Serenade… Seeing her own sister change like that, it must have been a lot for her to deal with…” Twilight frowned.

“Adagio wasn’t wrong. Serenade’s hatred only grew. With enough time, hatred and anger became the only emotions she knew. It made her a prime candidate to become a demon, and the demon lord…” Sunset explained.

“Is that… What could have happened to me if Midnight…” Twilight gripped her wrist.

“Impure demons and pure demons like Serenade don’t share the same fate… Serenade is unique even for a pure demon…” Sunset said.

“Why’s that?” Twilight raised a brow.

“Pure demons seek out darkness. They crave it, they allow it into their hearts willingly, unconcerned about the consequences. Impure demons are tricked into darkness, they have another driving factor that made them susceptive to darkness, sort of like what happened with you and Midnight. Your curiosity opened the door for darkness to enter your body, but darkness didn’t enter your heart, only your body…” Sunset explained.

“So I can’t be like Serenade?” Twilight sighed in relief.

“No, besides I can see it in you… Horizon removed the darkness from you. A rare and unique talent, very few ever escape demonhood…” Sunset smiled.

Twilight felt even more relieved hearing those words. Her daughter truly was remarkable.

“So why is Serenade unique for a pure demon?” Twilight asked.

“She didn’t have to seek out darkness, it sought her out…” Sunset said.

“That… Can happen?” Twilight blinked.

Sunset nodded. “It is a rare thing, but in her case, hell itself came looking for her, it saw potential in her, potential to be the next demon lord, for there was nothing in her heart but hatred and anger. She had completely forgotten what compassion, love, and kindness were.”

“That’s… A very sad existence…” Twilight frowned.

“Do not mistake it, Serenade must die, or your entire world could be destroyed… She will kill until there is nothing left. If she is able to accomplish her plans, it will be the end of both your world and Equestria.” Sunset warned.

“Can Sunset stop her?” Twilight asked.

There was a short pause. “She will definitely need a lot of help, but I suppose it’s possible. I don’t have access to information that is not yet known, however, there is one more thing I think you should see…”

“Another of Adagio’s memories?” Twilight asked.

Sunset shook her head. “No, this comes from another source… While the only memories I have direct access to are Adagio’s… I have other sources that occasionally provide me with information that I would not previously have access to.”

“What kind of information?” Twilight blinked in astonishment.

“Some of it is things from the past that neither I, nor Adagio witnessed, and some of it… Is events that have yet to come, or rather events that could be…” Sunset stated.

“Wait!? You can tell the future!?” Twilight banged her hands on the table. “Why don’t you just tell us how to stop Serenade then!?”

“Calm down, Twilight. It doesn’t work like that. I can not tell the future, and my information comes from another source, and that source chooses when to disclose things to me, if at all, I have no power over them, nor do I have a way to speak to them on command, there is also no way to tell if their words are merely educated guesses or true potential futures…” Sunset frowned.

“Who is this mysterious source then?” Twilight asked.

“I wish I knew, the truth is that I don’t know much about them, and given their incredible abilities… I can’t really figure out much about them…” Sunset replied.

Sunset found herself going through the memories of Adagio meticulously. She knew that they would become important soon enough, and the role of her Adagio shades would be key to following the guidance given to her.

The truth was whenever she was in her own head, she occasionally would receive guidance from a mysterious voice. At first, she just dismissed the voice as nothing, but as time went on, it was able to show her that its knowledge was legitimate, and she would begin to follow its guidance. The voice would divulge information to her when it saw fit, and even recommend actions to her.

Opening her eyes, Sunset blinked a few times as she looked around a giant empty space. She blinked once more, and suddenly the number 8 appeared all around her. The white space where she stood was covered in 8s as far as the eye could see. It was obvious that she had either been transported somewhere, or she was inside her own mind.

Then when she blinked once more, a short woman in a light white sundress stood before her. The girl had messy purplish hair with red tips, freckles dotting her face, and a pair of glasses perched on her nose.

Sunset noticed she wasn’t wearing any shoes, and her tiny feet had black nail polish on her toes.

Her most distinguishing feature, however, was her very neutral expression. This girl was the definition of looking “emotionless”.

Sunset smiled and let her hands rest at ease at her sides while she looked the girl up and down. She couldn’t have been more than 16 by Sunset’s guess. “So, we finally meet then… You must be the one who has been giving me information, right?”

The girl nodded.

“So, who are you then?” Sunset asked.

“I am Horizon Shimmer,” She said plainly.

“Horizon… You’re Sunset’s daughter then, right?” Sunset raised a brow.

“Yes, though not the one you will eventually meet when you meet her, she won’t have any knowledge of this meeting…” Horizon explained.

Sunset scratched her head in confusion. “Oh, I should probably tell you who I am…”

“I already know who you are. I know everything about you.” Horizon said plainly.

“You do? How?” Sunset asked.

“Even if I explained it to you, you would not understand. These matters transcend basic human reasoning. Though your existence is somewhat fantastical, you are still straight-jacketed by human reasoning. Only when one experiences what I have can they truly get a grasp on what is possible…” Horizon spoke in a monotone voice.

Sunset tilted her head in confusion.

“So how can trust you then?” Sunset laughed.

“You have already decided that you will,” Horizon said.

“How do you figure that?” Sunset asked.

“I don’t need confirmation from you. I already know it will happen, it is a certainty. I needn’t waste my time testing the loyalty of any around me, because reality itself reveals itself to me when I command it so.” Horizon shrugged.

“So you can warp reality itself?” Sunset raised a brow in disbelief.

“No, I merely said reality reveals itself to me. While my access to information is infinite, I still must consume it at a human rate, and I can only use information to manipulate information if that makes sense…” Horizon touched her lip as she thought about it.

“So where are we then?” Sunset looked around the strange place they stood in.

“We’re inside your head,” Horizon said plainly as if it should have been obvious from the start.

“So you can go into anyone’s head or just mine?” Sunset asked.

“I can manifest myself anywhere I need to be. I can exist anywhere that I need to be, and I am not limited to how many places I can be at once…” Horizon said. As she finished that sentence, Sunset blinked and there were thousands of Horizons standing around her, all speaking in unison.

“Do you understand now?”

“Not really, but you’re convinced that I’ll trust you, so I suppose there’s no point in discussing it further… What did you come to tell me?” Sunset asked.

All of the Horizon’s vanished leaving only the original.

“Sunset Shimmer and I will meet again soon, or rather the me that you will encounter…” Horizon began.

Sunset remained silent to allow her to finish.

“I’m sure you figured out by now that there are three Sunsets…” Horizon said.

Sunset nodded. “I would be one of them.”

“Yes, though I suppose there are only two depending on how you look at it. Either way, you need to understand one thing…” Horizon approached carefully.

“Which is?”

“Just as there are three Adagios and three Sunsets… In the end, there will only be one of each, it will all come down to a single choice…” Horizon spoke.

“Who will be left?” Sunset asked.

Horizon shook her head. “You knowing the outcome isn’t necessary for things to unfold the way they are intended. Now go prepare for when Sunset and I meet.”

In yet another blink, Horizon was gone.

A single choice? What is Sunset going to have to do? Sunset thought to herself. Despite finally meeting with the one who had been directing her for some time, she found herself with far more questions.

After a few seconds of holding Sunset’s hand once again, Twilight could see through the eyes of a young Serenade. The girl was no older than eighteen, still youthful, but she had grown much from the other memory that she had seen.

Serenade had traveled back to her hometown after being away for years. She and Adagio had been separated, but she was determined to find her again, but before that, she had unfinished business.

The young siren looked at the town full of ponies all enjoying themselves. It was some kind of festival, more than likely celebrating the good harvest as it had become fall recently and the leaves crunched under her hooves. She had never really gotten a chance to see the town or its customs due to being forced to stay up at the house and in the field nearby when she was a child.

Keeping her hood up, her eyes scanned the crowd, looking for a familiar face. She knew that he would be here, and she was determined to find him.

The festivities of the night raved on, and blending in, Serenade partook in a few drinks, pretending to be a traveling merchant who would come by to buy crops to sell to other nearby villages. Given the state of inebriation most were in, her story was easy to sell, and few questioned it.

She would remain quiet and wander through the town square until she saw him. His mane had greyed significantly, and there was a tuft that looked like a beard under his muzzle. His coat no longer had the luster it once had, and she could see he was aging. She had no idea how many years it had been, but it was well over a decade. Her father’s face still brought disgust to her, even many years later. Grinding her teeth, she quickly grabbed another mug of lager and downed the entire thing to calm herself.

Wiping her lips, she placed the empty mug down on a nearby cart and carefully headed in his direction, though she kept her distance and watched at the pony drank and conversed with many around him.

With a safe distance between the two, Serenade observed him all night. Before she knew it, eight hours had passed and it was nearly time for the sun to start rising once more. Most were calling it a night and heading home, her father included. Once he finished his last drink, he began to head toward the road that lead to their own farmhouse just outside of town.

Serenade waited carefully for him to get a good way up the road before she began to follow him, keeping a significant distance so he wouldn’t notice her. Up the long hill, she started to remember her childhood at the home that sat atop of it. It had been so long, yet she still remembered it like it was yesterday.

When he entered the home, she stood outside for some time. Her eyes looked at the dying flower bed near the house. Her sister and she had spent so much time playing in that flower bed. She scowled at the thought, this place wasn’t her home anymore, and these memories were nothing more than things to distract her and hold her back now.

The past was dead, and she had to accept that. She needed to focus on her future.

Stealing herself, Serenade waited a few seconds then opened the door quietly. The stallion had already made his way to his bedroom to go to sleep, so she was able to slip around the house with ease so long as she remained quiet.

Curiously, she cracked open the door to her old bedroom, and her eyes widened at what she saw; a crib.

Approaching, she looked into it to see a small foal resting. Her father had already replaced his entire family. He had a new child, a new wife, and was living as though they had never existed. The fury in Serenade grew to nearly uncontrollable levels. The disrespect, she couldn’t bear it.

Leaving the baby’s room, she crept up the stairs, remembering which floorboards creaked the most from her childhood, the old man never bothered to fix them even after all these years; she could add “lazy” to the list of reasons she hated him now.

When she came to his bedroom door, she stopped and stared at it for a brief moment. Once she entered this room, once she performed this deed, there truly was no going back.

She didn’t care though, she had already made her mind up. Opening the door, Serenade stepped inside the room slowly, observing the stallion fast asleep in his bed with his new wife next to him. She was ugly compared to her mother, a true hag! The thought that this stallion had downgraded to such a plain-looking girl was almost laughable if it weren’t so infuriating. Serenity Dazzle was gorgeous, a true beauty, this mare was nothing. To be replaced by such an ugly girl was insulting, it made Serenade grind her teeth, but she focused and calmed herself.

When she came to the bedside, she looked down at her father sleeping. He rested so peacefully. It disgusted Serenade. How could he sleep so sound knowing what he did to her mother? Knowing how she suffered? His wife was dead and his children were gone and this stallion was able to move on and forget they ever existed.

Serenade magicked a knife out from under her cloak and pointed it at him. Temptation made her want to end him right there and then, but reason won in the end. No, wake him up, savor it as you planned.

“Rise and shine old man…” Serenade spoke in a low tone.

He stirred for a moment before his eyes opened. It took him a second to realize what was going on before he flinched and his hoof hit his wife, waking her up.

“W-who are you!?” He trembled.

“Out of bed, now, both of you,” Serenade commanded.

Cautiously, both of them got out of bed and stood still.

Serenade removed her hood and grinned. “Hello, father…”

“Father?” The mare in the room asked.

“Oh? He never told you? His first wife who he claimed bewitched him… A siren… Did he tell you that?” Serenade asked as she came up to her father and placed the knife directly to his throat.

“She was a monster who controlled him!” His wife defended.

“Yes, I’m sure he’ll spin whatever story necessary to protect himself… Why don’t you tell her the truth, father? Tell her why you deserve to die here today…” Serenade spoke quietly as she pressed the knife against him.

He gulped before speaking. “I… I…”

“Go on, confess your sins…” Serenade purred.

“I’m sorry, I lied… Serenity was… She was the love of my life, I was never controlled… When they threatened to kill me for harboring her, I…” He bit his lip as tears ran down his cheek.

“You betrayed her. You let her burn, and watched. And what’s worse is you did nothing to protect your children… We were forced to flee, and we’ve lived as animals ever since. You have no idea what we’ve been through, having to pick through garbage just to survive…” She hissed.

“Is that true, darling?” His wife whimpered.

“Yes… It’s true… Serenade, I’m so sorry… I was a coward…” He pleaded.

“Not as sorry as you’re going to be…” Serenade threatened.

“You don’t have to do this, Serenade. Don’t be like the ponies who killed your mother…” He begged.

“I’m nothing like them. I’m giving a punishment to one who deserves it, not an innocent whose only crime was loving you…” Serenade said.

“If you kill me, they will always think you’re a monster… You’ll make their perception of you correct…” He reminded.

Serenade’s eyes narrowed as she leaned in. “I don’t care what they think.”

“Please… Don’t hurt us…” His wife begged.

Serenade scoffed. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you, just him.”

“Why?” She asked.

“Why? Because this world is full of disgusting mortals such as yourselves. You walk around like you own the entire world, and every creature on it; living like gods who decide everything… I’m going to make you all understand what real gods are capable of…” She paused and smirked deviously as she came closer to her father with the knife still against him. “And I’ll start with him… I want you alive so you can remember this moment, so you can feel what I felt when I watched my mother burn alive… Helplessness.”

“Your mother wouldn’t approve of this, Serenade…” Her father stated.

Hissing she slapped him with the back of her hoof. “How dare you speak of what she would or would not approve of!?”

Looking at his wife with fierce eyes, Serenade barked her demands. “Look at me, bitch.”

She trembled and looked away.

“I SAID LOOK AT ME, BITCH! WATCH ME KILL YOUR HUSBAND OR I’LL KILL YOU TOO!” Serenade screamed.

“Please… Don’t do this…” The mare finally looked her way.

Serenade leaned in and whispered into her father’s ear. “Tell her that you will miss her…”

He stood silent.

“Tell her,” demanded.

“I’ll miss you…” He said as tears ran down his eyes.

“Please… No…” His wife was now in tears as well.

“Yes, beg… It’s so much more satisfying that way… Say goodbye to your husband…” With those words, the blade ran along his neck and cut deep. Blood rushed out of the cut as he gagged and gasped. He reached up to grip the wound before falling to the ground while Serenade laughed.

His wife screamed in horror as she watched her husband bleed out, rushing to his side while Serenade dropped the knife onto the ground. Her eyes were wide open, veins visible as she stared with a twisted smile, laughter leaving her throat in droves as she savored the moment. Her entire body tingled with excitement, as she watched the mare cry and try to stop the bleeding. Her father choked on his blood and eventually, his body became limp and lay still.

It was the first time that Serenade had ever killed someone before, but the thrill was greater than anything she could imagine, and from that moment forward, she knew it wouldn’t be her last. The pleasure she got from killing would soon be the only thrill that kept her going, nothing topped it. The look in his eyes before he died, and the feeling of power that rushed through her when she took his life, it was like a drug, a drug that she had to have more of.

She would kill anyone who stood in her way or even slighted her. Her desire to become stronger finally was revealing its purpose to her. She would carry out her dream, her dream of living in a world without worthless mortals, even if she had to kill every single one of them by herself. There was blood on her hooves, and it would never wash off as it slowly seeped into her very soul.

“This is only the beginning…” She thought out loud as she looked down at her hooves with delight, licking the trace of blood off of them.

I know it's been like... Forever since I released a chapter. I'm sorry. Life and all.

Yes, this chapter adds a lot more confusion, but the final pieces of the puzzle to solve the big mystery are coming together. We're close to the finish line.