Title: The Shimmering Spider-Woman! Issue #8 Author: superkeaton Pastebin link: http://pastebin.com/uZsUizGz First Edit: Wednesday 22nd of June 2016 09:14:59 PM CDT Last Edit: Last edit on: Sunday 17th of July 2016 11:03:09 AM CDT "Sunny." >You are Anon >"...." "Suuuunnyyyyyy." >"........." >And you have a very mopey girlfriend >It's been a week or two since your impromptu hospital stay >Ever since, your girlfriend's been in a funk, even after helping you get back on your feet and even staying at your place a few nights to make sure you weren't struggling with the backlog of homework or any lingering effects from being blasted in the chest with lightning "SUNSET!" >"WHAT!?" >You sigh and apply palm to face as her wild looks for danger and impromptu fighting pose slowly come back to reality with the rest of the world, a sheepish look on her face as her body relaxes >"Um, I mean, yes?" >Cute, but futile "Seriously? I've been trying to talk to you this whole time, but you've been sandbagging me all through lunch." >You jab a spaghetti-wrapped for in her direction, elbows resting on the lunch table "And you haven't touched your food. So spill, what's eating you?" >Another sigh passes her lips as she takes a half-hearted nibble at her salad >"You got hurt becau-" "Sunny, I love you, but if you say that me throwing myself between you and the super-dorks was your fault, I'm gonna... I dunno, boop your nose or something. Been over this already when you weren't listening. I did it because I wanted to." >You stretch a hand across the table and link fingers with her "Because I saw you getting hurt. Because the thought of you... well, if anything happened to you, I wouldn't know what to do with myself..." >The pad of your thumb strokes over the back of Sunset's hand >It's a small comfort, but you're doing what you can for her >Her fingers lock onto yours in a death grip, her shimmering eyes locked with yours as you sit in silence again >But this time, she isn't silent alone >Something quirks at the corner of her mouth >Why, I do believe that's a smile! >"So... love, huh?" >O-Oh >Yeah, you'd, uh, you'd definitely said Love >Not love, but Love, capital L >Did it suddenly get hot in here? >Must be, like, a million degrees >You lick your lips and swallow nervously, struggling to respond, when Sunset places her free hand on top of your entwined pair >She's smiling... >"I think I can work with Love..." >..... >You think your heart is going to explode out of your chest! >Time is frozen, the world is a drab backdrop compared to her, that smile, those eyes... >This is the greatest moment of your life!   >"Hey, dude, I thought I told you not to talk to her anymore!"   >.... >Well, now someone's got to die. >And that someone is Flash, your not-really-nemesis >Honestly though, right now you hate him way more than Electro, and that bitch put you in a hospital! >You try to scare him off with a wordless glare as he and his goons approach your table >Oh hey it worked! >Wait, he's not looking at you... >Oh, oh wow, Sunny's just murdering him with her eyes >"Flash? I'm going to give you one chance. Close your mouth and crawl back into your own asshole where you belong" >That's not a good tone... >Sunny's never even spoken like that with supervillains! "Uh, dude? You should do what she says..." >Yeah, the sooner he leaves, the sooner your girlfriend stops crushing your hand with spider-strength >Owie ow ow >You think for a moment that you see his lips move, but his face is swiftly replaced with Sunset's fist, a gout of blood blossoming across her knuckles as the King of Canterlot hits the cafeteria floor with a pretty satisfying 'THUMP' >....   >K.O.!   >A hush falls over the crowd >Sunset's just standing there with a bloodied fist clenched tightly at her side, her multi-colored locks hiding her expression >Yeah, no, that's not good >You stand up and take her by her other hand, quietly guiding her out of the cafeteria and through the halls, to the nearest water fountain >That uncomfortable quiet hangs between the two of you like a heavy sheet while you carefully run cool water over her hand, cleaning away the blood and her split open knuckles >Already, you can see the little cuts closing back up as her healing factor activates >"......" "Does your hand hurt?" >Sunset shakes her head as you dry her hand with your shirt, feigning checking over it to stall for time as you think of what to say "You probably shouldn't have done that." >".... Sorry..." >You just shake your head, looking away from her healed hand to brush her bangs from her face and look your girlfriend in the eyes >Even when she's miserable, she's still beautiful >Rarity probably knew some fancy word for it, but to you, it was just sad "I know you're a super hero, Sunny, but you can't keep making your well-being a low priority. You probably just shot your good-girl school appearance in the foot by punching out the most popular guy in school." >Leaning in, you place a brief kiss on her cheek "But, on the plus side, there's no way he's going to tell any teachers that he just got laid out by his gorgeous ex-girlfriend for picking on her new boyfriend. So no detention. Probably." >That gets you a tiny smile, which you consider a pretty big victory >Tugging at her hand, you start leading her back towards the nurse's office "C'mon, I'll tell the nurse I'm not feeling well and we can get some food. My treat." >Sunset rolls her eyes, but doesn't pull away >"You're going to fall behind if you keep using Electro's attack to skip classes." >Ah, but now to reveal your cunning charm! >With a grin, you turn and boop her nose, making her cross-eyed "Then it's a good thing I have such a brilliant tutor~" >When her brain reboops, she registers the compliment and blushes, looking away >"You're an idiot..." "But I'm /your/ idiot~" >Her grip on you tightens >"Definitely" >Score   >"And, ah, Anon?" "Yes, this is Anon speaking?" >That earns you a punch to the shoulder and a cute giggle >Owie... >"Idiot, this is important!" >The tone of her voice makes you freeze and turn >You can see Sunset take a breath and close her eyes >"After dinner.... I want to come back to your place." >Oh? >How lewd~ >Wait, she's still going >"I... I want to tell you. About me. Not just my powers..." >Those seafoam eyes swallow your attention, clear and focused >"I want you to know who Sunset Shimmer really is."   >You are Anon >And you are dating an extra-dimensional magic horse >A little imaginary Sunny corrects you in your head >"PONY!" >Pony, right >Sunset Shimmer is a kinda-but-not-really banished unicorn who was a step removed from actual royalty >You stand in the kitchen as Sunset rests in your bed, recovering from the day's events >It'd taken some Indiana Jones shit to wiggle free of her cuddling grasp, but you were hungry and needed to do some thinking >When did your life switch from complete anonymity to being the secret keeper for not only Spider-Woman, but an entire dimension of colorful equines? >You tug open the fridge and pull out a water >Normally it'd be soda, but Sunset's healthy lifestyle was starting to rub off on you >Standing there, in the cold light of the fridge, you think >The Canterlot Seven, Sunset excluded, already knew about the pony thing >They were her closest friends, after all >And now there was you >You take a swig of water to help clear your head >Out of habit, you glance at your phone, noticing a missed message >Huh, must of missed it when you were locked into Sunny's death-grip >You wonder if her strength was spider-induced, emotionally wrought, or if ponies were naturally strong cuddlers >You'd have to ask her >Tapping the screen, you put the answering machine on speaker   >As you listen to the electronic voice on the other end, a cold weight drops in your guts >No way >Why now? >"This is a message from the desk of Sombra Osborn." >The electronic voice goes silent and instead a masculine voice speaks up, dredging up years worth of memories   "Anonymous, this is your father speaking. Speak to me tomorrow, at my office."