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                      Forged in Flame                      
                     -by Jase_Mercer-                      
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             Prologue: With Every Step We Take             
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Prologue: With Every Step We Take
Oh Celestia, it hurts! It hurts so damn much! Why?! This isn’t what I wanted!
The full force of the Element of Magic was not merciful. Lost to the corruption of her own soul mixed with the power of the Element, Sunset Shimmer could not ignore the pain. Tears flowed uncontrollably down her cheeks, the only clear sign she was in agony. But before she could cry out for help, her body was lost to the twisted magic.
What’s happening to me?! This isn’t right!
Without warning, the pain surged through Sunset once again, but this time it was visible why. Her body was taking on a whole new shape and form befitting her infamous nature. Only one simple word could describe her now: Demon.
Once the transformation was complete, Sunset opened her eyes, now black as the void. At first, it felt like the worst had finally passed, but it wasn’t long before Sunset realized something was very wrong. Despite her body’s movement, and the smug cackle that escaped past her lips, the Equestrian Exile did not feel it was her own doing. She prayed for a moment someone else had simply snapped, and in their madness of all that had transpired couldn’t stomach the laughter inside, but this was not the case. Sunset was the one who had lost control.
Motivated by what felt like primal instinct, Sunset watched helplessly as she boasted how she would lead an army of slaves into Equestria with the intention of total conquest and subjugation of its citizens.
I’m going to do what?! No! No, stop it!
Sunset Shimmer was egotistical and demanding, but she was no tyrant. Every word she spoke was nothing but the mad ramblings of an aspiring conqueror drunk on her own power.
I have to stop this! I can’t…! Twilight! Help me!
Never in a million years did Sunset believe she would have ever heard herself plead Princess Twilight Sparkle to save her, but while the pain had subsided, the loss of command over her body terrified her beyond belief. She didn’t care how low she had to sink her head; she just wanted to be back in control.
A sickening feeling rose from Sunset’s gut up to her throat. She sensed the sinister thoughts running through her mind as Twilight and her friends opposed her, thoughts filled with murderous intent. With all the strength of will she could muster, Sunset demanded Twilight to get away from her, but the warning never made it out. The she-demon’s rational side could only watch herself unleash a ball of concentrated dark magic on the six friends. In the very moment of impact, Sunset unwittingly tortured herself with the mental screaming of her victims she believed to have murdered.
Much to Sunset’s hidden relief behind the confusion on her face, a miracle had presented itself in the form of the magical bond between the six. Twilight stood tall and proud upon the revelation of what had transpired, and took advantage of this moment while the tables were turned. With the proclamation that Sunset’s corruption of the Element of Magic could not stand up to what it truly represented, Twilight embraced her friends as they joined in unison, and their magic grew beyond anything Sunset thought possible.
Hand in hand, the Humane Six glowed fiercely with power, and in one fell swoop, they unleashed a colourful blast of magic upon Sunset, tearing away at her demonic shell and cleansing her of all the corruption she had bathed herself in.
Sweet goddess, it hurts! Celestia, please make it stop!
The feeling of layer upon layer of skin being ripped clean from her filled her with such indescribable anguish, she wasn’t sure if the screaming she heard was her own or that of her demon-half. Despite the relief that freedom was close at hand, Sunset was on the border of passing out from the trauma. For a moment, it seemed to be inevitable as everything went dark.
******
BRRR!... BRRR!... BRRR!...
A whole new sensation filled Sunset now. It wasn't unwelcome, but it definitely had its own brand of torture. Her body was heavy and sluggish, the latter of which couldn't have been more clear as she effortlessly slapped her hand a couple of feet away from where she lay, beating across the floor beside her mattress until her clenched fist came down hard on the electronic clock.
It was then that Sunset realized she had been having that dream again, and she forced herself to sit upright on her worn-out mattress to clear her head. As she rubbed the sand from her eyes, the young Equestrian Exile looked around what she could only describe as a pitiful excuse of a bedroom. Wallpaper was mouldy and torn, no carpets save for the one rug which was just about ready for the trash, and the dirty windows lacked curtains to shield her from the morning sun. Once she gathered her thoughts, she remembered the Fall Formal was already a week ago, and things had started to change since then.
“Wonderful.” Grumbling and pushing herself to her bare feet, Sunset Shimmer walked across the dirty floorboards, treading carefully over the empty plastic bottles, food wrappers, and the odd infuriating pebble. When she thought she was in the clear, a lonely little stone found itself embedded into her heel.
“YEOWCH!” Sunset screamed. She quickly lifted her foot off the ground and hopped her way to the archway leading to the kitchen, grasping around her ankle and desperately trying to rub the pain away. “Damn rock! You’re not even worth grinding into dust!”
From the worn down kitchen cupboards, Sunset pulled out an old box of cereal and sat at the tiny table she had set up in the corner, digging in and stuffing her face with handfuls after every gulp. Dry food never bothered her so much back in Equestria, but growing accustomed to her new body made her appreciate some delicacies being drenched in milk or water, neither of which were available to her in this run-down shack she called home. Despite the unpleasantness, Sunset powered through it with a loud grumble and ate until she was ready to tackle the day.
With her shoulder bag stocked with the essentials, and the cleanest clothes she could dig out from the growing pile of laundry in the corner of her bedroom, Sunset Shimmer walked out of the aged bungalow and made her way down the street to Canterlot High. It was a little ways away, and Sunset had to get used to walking it since she couldn’t stomach the icy cold glares her fellow students gave her anymore.
“We’ll see who’s laughing when they get fat.” She did her best to find some pride in this, but she couldn’t lie to herself. She was feeling cowardly.
******
Despite the events of the Fall Formal, what with the damage done to the front of the school, Canterlot High remained open for the sake of its students, much to the disappointment of many who were looking forward to an easy week of lazing around.
“That’s why we have a back door,” said Principal Celestia, standing tall and proud beside her younger sister, Vice Principal Luna. One couldn’t help but notice the subtle smug grin that came with every greeting she handed out to her students.
“Careful, sister. Any more pride goes to your head and it’ll fall off.” Luna snidely remarked. Celestia openly chuckled but kept a level of professionalism about her before the teenagers.
“Sometimes the harsher lessons are the most important.”
“Lessons such as ‘an otherworldly incident with magical demons and witchcraft is no excuse to ditch school’?”
“Well, when you say it like that, it sounds ludicrous.” The eldest sister looked down to Luna with a raised eyebrow and a crooked smile. Her response was rewarded with a sly grin.
Sunset Shimmer couldn’t help but home in on the discussion. She listened carefully to their words, most likely out of fear they were talking about her, but her fears were put to rest when it was simply playful banter between siblings. Despite this world’s many differences, it was something of a pleasant feeling to see her former mentor’s familiar charm and playfulness, even if it were through the actions of another.
Sunset quickly remembered she was in no mood for talking, especially with Celestia. The fierce reception from her fellow students was tolerable, but fear held her back when it came to the principal. Alternate or not, the voice, the eyes, even the wisdom were all the same. And at this moment in time, Sunset couldn't bear to endure her harsh words.
“Sunset Shimmer! A word, if you please?” It felt like a cruel joke. At times like these, Sunset would have simply mingled with the crowd and try to keep as many obstacles between her and another as physically possible. Unfortunately for her, no one would have dared set foot in a five meter radius around her. She was exposed, so Celestia caught her easily. Swallowing the lump in her throat and clutching the strap of her shoulder bag, Sunset sluggishly walked to the principal.
“Yes, ma’am?” She asked with as much sincerity as she could muster, just so she could hide any lingering sarcasm that coated her words for so many years.
“I would just like to arrange a moment we could speak privately between your classes. Would you be able to make it to my office during lunch?”
“I guess so. Why?”
“You have been so busy helping with the repairs to the school, we haven’t had a chance to just sit down and talk.”
Sunset was curious, but mostly confused. “What’s there to talk about? I’m serving detention until the female gender learns how to grow a beard.” Her snark never abandoned her, even in her mind. Especially in her mind. “Well, okay. I can be there.”
“Wonderful,” Celestia smiled. “I look forward to seeing you. Have a pleasant day, Miss Shimmer.”
“Yeah, you too, or whatever...” She pulled down on the strap of her shoulder bag and walked up the steps into the school. So began another wonderful day of suspicion, contempt, and the occasional threat.
“You truly don’t know a lost cause when you see it, do you?” Luna wasn't above all the mistrust Sunset had been receiving, yet she didn't feel all that surprised her sister had the opposite mindset.
“I have yet to meet one, Luna.”
******
The first half of school was quiet, and not the comfortable kind. The kind that was filled with whispers behind Sunset’s back, harbouring cruel opinions and dodgy exchanges of pranks in store. She had never felt so paranoid in all her life, though she couldn’t find anyone to blame but herself. They were rightfully unforgiving, and it would take more than a week to make things right. This only made it all the more relieving when she met up with the Humane Five, the only students who showed her any form of compassion, outside on the field during first period break.
“Sunny! There you are!” bubbly Pinkie Pie burst into glee as their honorary sixth member approached the group relaxing under the shade of a tall oak tree, sheltering them from the sweltering sun.
“Sorry I’m late. I had to take a few diversions.”
“Others still givin’ you trouble, huh?” country gal Applejack said.
“Not so much trouble as giving me a reason to watch my back for any misplaced knives.” Sunset sighed and fell limp against the smooth bark of the tree, sinking her way down to the soft grass under her rump. She had found herself tucked between the colourful Rainbow Dash and the meek Fluttershy, the former of who was distracted with a spinning soccer ball on her finger.
“Oh my, is it really that bad?” Fluttershy inquired. Sunset didn’t answer, she figured it went without saying. She was the school’s number-one most universally hated, and they didn’t shy away from admitting that, not anymore. It used to be Sunset could inspire fear simply by walking the hallways. But nowadays, all that earns her is the odd spitball.
“Some friendship thing we’ve got going here. Twilight made one hell of a difference.” She grumbled. She was close to a full on rant before the elegant Rarity intervened.
“Now, Sunset dear, we all agree things are fairly rough at the moment, but it can only get better from here.” She rationalized. “And you have to admit, what Princess Twilight did has set you on the path to redemption, did it not?” Sunset didn’t want to admit her successor had done her any favours, but Rarity was right. If not for Twilight, Canterlot High would still be subjugated to Sunset’s once perfect social system of herding the students like cattle, and Sunset herself would still be lost to her own selfish desires.
“I guess.”
“Guess nothing! You know she helped you out big time!” Rainbow was quick to give her two cents on the matter, much to Sunset’s own irritation.
“Okay, fine! She helped! Not that her good intentions will do me any good now.”
“Urgh...” Rainbow slammed her head into the tree and hugged her soccer ball into her stomach to ease out the stress. Of all the Humane Five, Rainbow was the hardest for Sunset to bond with, but she still treated her better than anyone else outside the group.
“So what’re you gonna do ‘bout it, Sunset?” Applejack asked, arms folded and an eyebrow raised. Sitting around and complaining about things always rubbed her the wrong way.
“Oh! Oh! Why don’t we throw a huge apology party?! We can call it... an “Apolarty”!” Pinkie jumped to her feet and bounced with excitement at the prospect of planning yet another major party only a week after the Fall Formal. Half the time, Sunset wondered where she kept all this energy.
“No, dear. No more parties for now. I think what we need is something simple but memorable, like hosting a charity event.” Rarity stepped in with a more reasonable sounding idea. Sunset had to admit, that sounded rather promising. If it wasn’t going to earn her a little admiration, it’d at least prove she was trying to make amends one way or another.
“You girls... thanks.” She smiled softly.
“Fer what, Sunset?” Applejack asked.
“For giving me a chance. That’s more than what anyone else here is willing to do, and you girls have more reason to not give it to me than anyone else.”
“Well, Twilight did kinda make us promise, so-OOF!” Rainbow’s little quip was quickly cut off by an elbow from Applejack straight to the gut. Sunset couldn’t help but feel a little hurt, but that really was the case. If Twilight hadn’t said anything, Sunset would be fighting this battle alone.
“Once again, Princess Butt-in Sparkle’s gone and thrown me a bone. I wonder if she did all that just to get under my skin.”
“Um, Sunset...?” A quiet but soft voice broke Sunset out of her train of thought, a considerable feat considering the tussle going on right next to her.
“Oh, nevermind. Just lost in thought, y’know.” She smiled as best she could to ease Fluttershy’s worries. She was always too kind and caring for her own good, but Sunset was thankful she was no exception to her natural selflessness.
“You don’t have to worry about it anymore, Sunset. We’ll help you.” Her hand gently placed itself on Sunset’s shoulder across her leather jacket, which only provoked a grimace look on her face followed by a twitch of the eye. Sunset wasn’t used to being touched, not by anyone, but she endured it for now.
“I know. It’s just... I know.” She fumbled her fingers around and sheepishly smiled to Fluttershy. She wanted to believe her friends, but there was little reason to. The odds were against her on the path to redemption, and her inexperience with true friendship couldn’t have been more obvious. And then there was the Humane Five. How much of their support was sincere, and how much of it was to keep their promise to Princess Twilight? How far would they truly go for her?
“No, I can’t think about that! This’ll work, I’ll make it work!” Sunset was never one to give up so easily. She was ready to fight tooth and nail to fix her mistakes, and no self-doubt was going to impede her. She’ll make friends, even if it takes everything she’s got.

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                Chapter 1: Leaving a Trail                 
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Chapter 1: Leaving a Trail
The first week following the end of the Fall Formal was nothing short of eventful. The front of the school had been fully repaired, though it lacked in colour, and it was still covered in construction scaffolding, making it a rather big eyesore for anyone passing by. With everything back on track, students were enjoying their new social freedoms thanks to the efforts of Twilight Sparkle, making school feel much more lively and exciting. For the majority of the students, the departure from the status quo was more than a welcome one.
It was strange to see all the different crowds conversing with each other. It used to be so easy to distinguish one set of students from another, but now Sunset Shimmer was having trouble keeping up with who belonged to what clique. It was all a chaotic nightmare to her, and now that her perfect system had been thwarted, she felt like the new girl all over again. But at least she had Rarity and Pinkie Pie to keep her company.
"If they keep staring, I swear I'm going to gouge their eyes out." Sunset hissed. She may have been on the road to redemption, but it had only just begun, and she still had that infamous temper of hers.
"Now now, Sunset, there's no need for such hostility. They will come around eventually!" Rarity rebuked.
"But all they do is stare at me! I get it, I was a real piece of work, but they're not making me feel any more guilty! They just make me want to smack their faces clean off!"
"Oooh, that'd be hilarious! I love that gag!" Pinkie giggled. Sunset raised an eyebrow in concern for her mentality, but Rarity simply shook her head at her. She let it slide and slipped her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket.
"Is it just too much to ask for the benefit of the doubt?"
"Well, you have our support, do you not?" Rarity smiled with sincerity. Sunset couldn't answer. She wanted to bring up how it was only because Princess Twilight made them promise, but then accusations weren't going to win her any favours. She looked down to the floor, her silence being her only response. Rarity took what she could get. "I thought so."
"Hey, what're we gonna do for a charity event?" Pinkie piped up. In truth, Sunset had almost forgot about that. It was brought up and dropped so quickly that she didn't give it a second thought. She then remembered this was likely her ticket to win the hearts and minds of her fellow students. That alone was enough to inspire her.
"Well, what are any of us good at?" she asked. Pinkie let out an exaggerated hum while tapping her finger against her lips, all while Rarity looked like she was putting some serious thought into her answer. Sunset did have some suggestions, but she didn't know the rest of the Humane Five well enough to even begin to guess what they would be on-board with.
"I can bake! Oh, and I'm an expert party planner! Oh oh! And I can play the drums!" Pinkie said. Sunset couldn't help but raise an eyebrow once again.
"Wait, you play?"
"Sure do! I drop the beat like a sack of potatoes!"
"A sack of what?" Sunset asked, her bewildered expression the stuff of legends. Rarity quickly cut her off with a dismissive wave. "Um, nevermind."
"She is quite talented with percussions," Sunset pondered on this. The thought of an instrument-based event was an enticing one, and teenagers were all about music. Rarity then spoke out again, "and I must admit, I do have a fondness for playing the piano. But it's just a hobby of mine!"
"Are you kidding? You play with the majesty of a thousand kings and queens!" Pinkie hung her arms around Rarity's neck and grinned over her shoulder. With a gentle push, Rarity slid herself out of her arms, her face a flush of red and her lips stretched out in a sheepish smile.
"Pinkie Pie, honestly!" Pinkie couldn't help but bounce with a giggle, taking great pleasure in embarrassing her friend. Her playful antics were enough to get a chortle out of Sunset.
"With friends like these, who needs anything else?" She thought to herself, scratching an imaginary itch on her arm to distract herself. Such public displays of affection were still so alien to her, but she did feel a little warm inside every time any of the Humane Five expressed themselves so proudly.
******
By the time the lunch bell rang, Sunset was already on her way to the principal's office. She wanted this talk to be over and done with. Then again, there wasn't much for her to get back to, now that she thought about it. Before she could put any second thoughts into it, she instinctively knocked on the frosted glass.
"Come on in." Sunset picked up on Celestia's gentle voice instantly. Even in this alternate world, she was still as warm and inviting as ever, so much so that she obeyed the principal without a second thought and opened the door, walking in and standing before her desk as the door slowly closed behind her.
"You wanted to see me?" she asked. Celestia had her head down, eyes scanning various amounts of paperwork that eluded Sunset's understanding and care. "Likely bills for the repairs to the school. Oh Celestia, she's not going to charge me, is she?!"
"I did." Celestia's head rose, her magenta eyes locked onto Sunset's, keeping her from diverting her gaze. There was always something about her presence that demanded attention and respect, and Sunset was no exception to that. "Please, sit down." Sunset obeyed without pause and placed herself on one of the seats either side of her.
"Okay, well... I'm here." she said, folding her arms and leaning back in the chair. "So what is this about? Because I can tell you right now I don't have money."
"Money?" Celestia lay her arms over the paperwork and gave Sunset her full attention. She then chuckled once the statement had processed. "This isn't about money, Miss Shimmer."
"Then... what do you want?"
"To talk, if you would allow me." she claimed with what sounded like the utmost sincerity. Sunset started to feel rather uncomfortable. She wasn't used to having a normal chat with anyone; conversations never went beyond planning and blackmailing for her.
"Okay...?"
"Wonderful. So, how have you been this past week?" Celestia's smile was gentle and soothing. It was enough to bring down a few guards in Sunset, though she was still hesitant to talk about herself. She could only shrug and look away.
"Fine, I guess."
"You guess?"
"I can't complain. It's just the usual stuff. Come to school, work, go home, repeat." she nonchalantly replied. Her vagueness was enough to draw a look of concern on Celestia's face.
"I see. What about school? Have you had any problems lately?"
"Lady, I could tell you stories." Sunset thought to herself. A side of her wanted to tell her everything, but she still had her pride to think about, and making herself vulnerable now of all times would be a mistake. "No, no problems." She looked to Celestia again and quickly noted her focus. She waited for inevitable prying, but the principal simply leaned back in her chair and held her hands together over her lap.
"Well, I'm glad to hear that. Just let me know if it changes at all." Celestia cared for her students equally, and despite what Sunset had done, she never let that change her dedication. She was her student, thus her responsibility. "I've noticed you have been making friends as well, Twilight Sparkle's companions, right?"
"... Yes, ma'am." There was a brief delay in Sunset's response, though Celestia didn't seem to catch on. Sunset truly wanted to believe the Humane Five were her friends, but the mere mention of Twilight brought up a sick feeling in her gut.
"You are a very lucky girl, Miss Shimmer. I know you will be happy in their care." Celestia remarked. Sunset crossed her arms and looked to the carpet without a word. The principal frowned but backed down. "Well, I believe I have taken up enough of your time. You'd better get a move on if you want to catch your friends before class." she said with a generous smile. Sunset stood to her feet without delay and walked to the door, and paused before she opened it all the way. She was silent for a moment, then she spoke.
"Thanks... for the talk." she mumbled. Celestia merely nodded, her natural smile still there, and returned her focus to her paperwork. Sunset took her leave and returned to her thoughts. "That was awkward."
******
It didn't take long for some of her friends to find Sunset Shimmer. Pinkie was the first to dart up to her, with Rainbow a close second, and Fluttershy by her side. She couldn't help but wonder if she had some kind of GPS tracking system they snuck on her while she wasn't looking.
"Soooooooo, how did it go?" Pinkie asked with a "hint" of curiosity. She was always a little nosy, but Sunset knew she'd have to get used to that at some point.
"Just a casual chat, nothing serious." she replied.
"Just a chat, huh?" Rainbow snidely asked, frowning at the lack of details.
"What do you want, a script?" Sunset and Rainbow locked a fierce gaze with each other, their faces only a few inches apart. Fluttershy retreated behind Rainbow with a squeak.
"P-Please don't fight...!" she muttered quietly. Rainbow broke her lock from Sunset's eyes and looked back at Fluttershy with a sigh.
"Hey relax, Fluttershy. We're not fighting! See?" she said in her most comforting tone she could manage. Fluttershy slowly came out of her hiding spot and meekly nodded, nervously rubbing her arm.
"Sheesh, how did this girl ever make it on her own?" Sunset thought to herself. It ended up being a terrible idea as she grimaced at the reminder that she was the reason Fluttershy ended up as alone as she did, and then there was the bullying...
"C'mon, girls! Turn those frowns upside down!" Pinkie quickly jumped up and wrapped her arms around both Sunset's and Rainbow's necks. The energy bursting from her could bring a smile to even the most depressed teenager, and despite her attempts to fight it, Sunset couldn't resist how contagious it was. She ended up chuckling alongside Rainbow, both of which made Pinkie giggle too. "That's more like it! Smiles make everything better," she quickly clutched Sunset's cheek and squeezed, bringing her close in and whispering faintly, "especially with frieeeeends."
"Uuuh..." Sunset's eyes were wide as dinner plates, her breathing intensifying. If not for Rainbow quickly pulling her out of Pinkie's hold, she would have had a panic attack. She nodded with a mimed "thank you" and gathered her composure. Fluttershy was the first to change the subject.
"So um... we were talking about the charity event, and... well... maybe we could perform in a band?" she mumbled. Sunset barely caught most of it, but it didn't take long to piece it all together.
"Yeah, we can all play! It'll be superfundaferiffic!" Pinkie clung her arms around Fluttershy and pressed cheek to cheek. Sunset would agree with her, except...
"I don't know any instruments." she confessed. Pinkie pulled away from Fluttershy and stared blankly at Sunset.
"None?"
"None."
"Aww." Sunset could swear Pinkie's hair deflated, a physical impossibility, but then again, this IS Pinkie Pie. "What're we gonna do? This was gonna be Sunset's big break!"
"Ah relax, Pinkie. We'll think of something!" Rainbow was filled with confidence, though Sunset was uncertain how much of it was just her pride talking. Still, she hoped they would. However, before another word could be said, the four friends were interrupted.
"Dash! I've been lookin' all over for ya!" A student a few inches taller than Rainbow approached them. She wore a thick open brown leather flight jacket with matching shorts, a pair of light brown steel toe-cap boots, and a pair of golden yellow fingerless gloves. Her eyes were covered in purple eye shadow, and her short white hair was detailed with purple highlights. Her golden eagle eyes were focused on Rainbow.
"Oh, heh. Hey there, Gilda!" Rainbow nervously rubbed the back of her head and awkwardly looked away.
"Don't you "hey Gilda" me! We had a match yesterday and you totally bailed on us!" she yelled, pointing over her shoulder at the two other students standing behind her, each one glaring as fiercely. "Where the hell have you been?"
"Hey, listen, I'm real sorry, but something came up! Not that you needed me, right? I mean, you girls could take those other teams down no problem!" Sunset could see Rainbow trying to quell the flames, but Gilda looked about ready to start a wildfire.
"Yeah, no thanks to you!" one of Gilda's companions chimed in, "We only just barely got ahead by two points!"
"So what's your excuse, Dash? It'd better be a good one." Gilda folded her arms and leaned back, her fiery lidded stare enough to melt the strongest demeanour. Rainbow was speechless. Sunset tried to analyse the situation, but she was at a loss. She leaned over to Fluttershy and whispered.
"What's going on?"
"Rainbow Dash is the captain of the soccer team. I guess they had a friendly match planned, but she was with us all day..." she murmured. Sunset watched the argument with slight concern.
"Well, uh... I had some... important stuff to do! Someone was in trouble, and I got caught up in it! Y'know how it is!" Rainbow's sheepish grin did not help her case. Gilda's fixated gaze didn't move, not even twitch. Sunset could see a bead of sweat trickle down Rainbow's face. She didn't want to see more friendships fall, even if this one wasn't her fault. She had to do something.
"Yeah, it was... me! She was helping me." the fiery haired teen stepped forward beside Rainbow, much to the latter's surprise.
"Sunset?!" Rainbow blurted out in shock. Sunset quickly hushed her and stared Gilda down.
"Wait, you? Dash was helping you out?" Gilda's eyebrow raised in a mix of confusion and scepticism.
"Yeah, she helped me. That's why she wasn't at your match."
"What a load! Who'd help you?" said another one of Gilda's associates. Sunset's eye twitched, but she kept her composure.
"I honestly don't care what you think of me, but as far as Rainbow's concerned, she was helping a friend. I think that's important enough to ditch one stupid football game over." Rainbow glared at Sunset over her snide comment, but she swallowed her love of soccer for now and just took the opportunity out of this. She felt a tug on her arm as Sunset pulled her, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie along past Gilda and her cohorts. "Let's go."
"A friend? Hah! Who'd be friends with a she-demon like you?" Gilda laughed at the very notion. This was enough for Sunset to stop in her tracks, her thousand yard stare piercing through the walls at the far end of the hallway. "Everyone knows what you did at the Fall Formal! And I know Dash was one of the girls who kicked your ass into that crater! Now you're telling me you're best buds? A pity party, more like!"
"Sunset." Fluttershy tugged on Sunset's sleeve, desperate to keep them going. But she wasn't going anywhere. Her feet felt glued to the floor, her fists clenched and sweaty, and her breath speeding up.
"You take that back." she croaked through clenched teeth.
"What's that?" Gilda asked.
"I said... take. It. Back." Sunset slowly turned on her heels, her head turning, and her eyes casting daggers over her shoulder down Gilda's direction.
"Make me." A cocky grin spread over Gilda's face. Pushing Sunset's buttons must have felt like a dream come true for her, because she looked like she was relishing the moment. Sunset, however, was less than amused. Her pupils were small and fixed, her teeth were bare, and her entire body shook with rage. But what caught their attention was the black and purple sparks rising from her feet and circling her legs up to her torso. The girls backed away in fright whilst Gilda and her group took a step back as well, everyone but Sunset filled with uncertainty.
"Take. It. BAAACK!" Sunset's body erupted with powerful magic, cracks forming through the flooring and walls from an invisible source as if someone took a sword and sliced it through with no destination in mind. The lights flickered brightly and burst in sparks from an overload of energy, and the girls couldn't help but shield their ears from the booming volume of Sunset's roar. When the magical outburst finally died down, everyone was too terrified to move an inch. Sunset herself was still, panting and covered in a cold sweat. When her senses returned to her, she shakily scanned her surroundings, the damage all leading back to her as the source. She held her trembling hands before her, feeling her sweat drip from her face into her moist palms, a lump in her throat from the shock.
"Sunset," Rainbow was the first to speak, "what was THAT?"
Sunset stood in silence.

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               Chapter 2: Elusive in Nature                
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Chapter 2: Elusive in Nature
The four girls had made a quick escape from the scene and held themselves up in the library. Fluttershy pressed herself up against the door to look through the small wire-mesh glass windows, then walked over to the others as they sat on beanbags at the far corner of the library.
"I don't think anyone followed us." she mumbled, sinking back into one of the bags between Pinkie and Rainbow. Sunset was the only one standing at this point, her back to the three girls, with her hands held up before her face. Her eyes were darting back and forth between them, a cold sweat dripping down her face still.
"You okay, Sunny?" Pinkie asked. Aside from her heavy breathing, Sunset was silent.
"Okay? Am I okay? I don't know! How did I do that?! It's... it's impossible!" Too many thoughts were racing through her mind to keep up; she had too many questions, and not one answer. Panic held her heart in a powerful grip, and it wasn't letting go. A hand gently came down on her shoulder.
"Sunset?" Fluttershy spoke softly. Sunset twisted her head so suddenly and faced Fluttershy with horror-ridden eyes, the pink-haired teen jumped back in surprise and quickly retreated to her own personal space. Snapping out of her thoughts, Sunset took a moment to breathe in deep and calm her nerves just enough to speak coherently.
"I'm sorry, I... I don't know." she said with a trembling tone, "This never happened before, not since..." she paused for a moment. The girls already knew what she meant, she figured. Pinkie pulled out her cellphone and hammered the keys with the fury of a sugar rush.
"We gotta tell Applejack and Rarity! Maybe they know!"
"Are you kidding, Pinkie? If the unicorn's not got a clue, what makes you think they will?" Rainbow asked, bewildered.
"You got any better ideas, Miss Smartypants?" Pinkie replied with a grin. Rainbow was about to offer a rebuttal, but her mouth hung open, and she sank back into her beanbag in a sulk. Pinkie cheerfully returned to her text message. Sunset was far from amused, however.
"I can't stick around here! The moment word gets out, the whole school will call for a literal witch hunt!"
"Oh Sunny, you worry too much!" Pinkie smiled.
"Are you real?!" Sunset shouted, unaware of the magic sparking from underneath her as she stomped her foot. "How can you be so calm about this?!" All three girls quickly leaned away from her.
"S-Sunset, please calm down!" Fluttershy squeaked. Sunset stared at her horror-stricken face and slowly retreated from them, a deep breath entering and leaving her lungs, and her muscles starting to relax.
"Sorry, Fluttershy. I'm just..." she said, melancholy showing on her face. It was a few short but agonizing seconds of silence before she spoke up again, "I need to get out of here."
"Outta the school?" Rainbow asked.
"Where else? I can't be here! It's not safe!"
"But what about detention? If Principal Celestia knows you're skipping..." Pinkie enquired.
"Make something up! I just need some time to figure this out." Sunset held her arms and leaned against the bookshelf behind her, taking several deep breaths. The three of the Humane Five looked between each other and reluctantly nodded in agreement.
"Okay, we'll help you out." Rainbow said. Sunset looked up between them with a hint of surprise in her eyes.
"If it's what you need, we'll support you." Fluttershy added with a smile.
"Darn tootin'!" Pinkie exclaimed while mimicking Applejack's accent. That was at least enough to bring a tiny smile to Sunset's face.
"Thanks," she said, walking towards the exit, "now I just need a distraction."
"OH! OH!" Pinkie quickly leapt from the beanbag and zipped to Sunset's side. "I wanna be the distraction!" she said with a wide crescent grin across her face. Sunset was visibly unnerved by her enthusiasm.
"Um, okay. It doesn't really matter who does it..." she said, raising an eyebrow. Pinkie bounced furiously fast with excitement and threw the doors wide open, marching out with determination written all over her. Rainbow and Fluttershy stood beside Sunset, watching Pinkie leave on her mission.
"Well, this can only end one way." Rainbow rubbed the back of her head with a groan. She patted Sunset on the back and smirked. "You best get going before she turns this school upside down. C'mon, Flutters." she beckoned to Fluttershy, running off after Pinkie.
"Oh my. Um, good luck, Sunset!" she squeaked, quickly following behind Rainbow. Sunset stood alone in the hallway until her friends were out of sight before turning the opposite way and making for the exit, left to nothing but her own thoughts.
******
"This is insane. How could this happen to me? If it were Twilight Sparkle or her friends, then sure. But me?" The world was an empty one-way street for Sunset as she argued all the possibilities to herself, her legs on auto-pilot, her head down, and her eyes staring into space. At first it seemed unnaturally easy to switch off her senses to the outside, but the hallways were practically deserted. Whatever Pinkie Pie was doing, it seemed to be doing the trick. "Well, far be it from me to look a gift horse in the mouth... heh." A tiny grin crept across her lips.
Sunset took a turn around a corner only to be met with a face full of torso, enough to send a startling jolt through her and knock her back to reality.
"Oof!" She leapt back quickly and rubbed her nose with a slight build-up of tears in her eyes. "Hey! Watch where you're-!"
"Sunset!" a familiar male voice rang Sunset's ears. A mix of surprise and dread filled her gut; prayers filling her head she was just imagining it. She took a moment to look up, and grimaced at the sight.
"Oh. It's you." she groaned in a lidded stare. Flash Sentry was predictably unaffected by the cold reception.
"Nice to see you too." he remarked.
"Spare me." Sunset was quick to dismiss and walk around him. She found herself coming to a sudden halt as her wrist was grasped and jerked back slightly.
"Whoa, wait a second. What's the rush?"
"I've got better places to be, now let go." She refused to turn around, her weight pulling against his grasp. Flash complied quickly, but responded just as fast.
"Can we just talk for a second? I haven't seen you since the Fall Formal." Sunset took a step to balance herself, but stopped in place after that. Her annoyance was clear, but she didn't seem to be in a hurry to leave any more. She took a moment to sigh and turned to face him, hands in pockets.
"What do you want?" she asked with venom in her tone.
"I just wanted to... talk. Y'know." he awkwardly answered.
"Well, we're talking. Now what?"
"I... I just want to know what's going on with you." Flash rubbed the back of his head, visibly nervous. Whether out of fear of her or the awkwardness of the situation, Sunset wasn't sure.
"I think you know enough. I turned into a demon and nearly enslaved the school. Now I'm the most hated student in the entire city, and every day is a fuster cluck. What more could you want?"
"Well, to know if you're alright." he answered. Sunset's eyes opened up a little more at his claim. There was an awkward pause before she could think of a response.
"Why?"
"Because you've had it pretty rough lately."
"No, I mean why do you care?"
"Oh, well, because you're trying to be better." he replied. Sunset raised an eyebrow, following up with a frown.
"How do you figure?"
"Well, Twilight told me." There was that name, the one that flawlessly made Sunset's stomach turn. It never seemed so bad to speak it herself, but when it came out the lips of others, it somehow rubbed her the wrong way. "Before she left, she asked me to help you out, since we have, um... history."
"Understatement of the millennium." she snidely remarked.
"I tried to talk to you earlier, but you kept avoiding me before I could say anything." He appeared a little stung as he recounted her alienating him. While she secretly relished in causing grievance to her ex-boyfriend, a part of her felt guilt, much to her own dismay.
"Yeah, well... to be fair, I was doing that to everyone. Didn't have much choice." she claimed while turning her head away, her eyes remaining locked on his. Flash stared at her with an unfamiliar look. "What is that, concern? Pity?"
"I saw." he said, scratching the back of his leg with his foot. "Look, I know the last we spoke, it didn't end well-"
"You broke up with me."
"Y-Yeah, but..." he trailed off for a second, "I saw how you've been getting on with Twilight's friends lately, and if you girls could get along so well, then why not us?"
"You want to be friends?"
"Well, yeah. But I don't mean that because Twilight asked me! I mean, it's partially, but..." Sunset watched Flash expose his vulnerability so quickly. A week ago, she would have killed for an opportunity like this to stick it to him, but now the moment didn't seem nearly as appetizing.
"You can't be serious. Why would you waste your time on me?" she asked. "Urgh, that came out wrong."
"Hey, if you girls can forget the past, couldn't we at least try to?" Flash returned with a seemingly genuine smile. Sunset stared at him for a few seconds, then folded her arms and looking to the floor.
"Friends? With him? You've got to be kidding. I don't need a goody-two-shoes like him to get by! I can do without his face... and his carpools... and his food... and his talks... Oh for crying out loud." she thought to herself behind closed eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose with a groan. Flash's smile disappeared, and he slowly motioned to turn until Sunset took a deep breath.
"Look, I... we'll see. I've had a long day, and I just want to go home." Sunset looked up with tired eyes, a positive change from the daggers she was glaring with a minute ago. Flash appeared speechless at first, but his expression softened quickly.
"Heh, fair enough. Maybe I'll see you tomorrow then?"
"Yeah... maybe." she replied, slipping her hands into her jacket pockets again before she turned on her heels and walked away. "Later, Flash."
"See you..." he slowly waved, and watched her leave with a smile.
"I'm so not in the mood for this."
******
"ALRIGHT, YOU MAGGOTS! HUP-TWO! HUP-TWO! HUP-TWO!" Every student in sight was at attention and marching to Pinkie's orders over her megaphone. As she was busy herding the flock, Rainbow and Fluttershy watched from the sidelines in silence. They were eventually joined by a bewildered Applejack and Rarity.
"What in good gracious is going on?" Rarity asked.
"We're covering for Sunset while she skips school." Rainbow bluntly answered. Applejack and Rarity looked to each other in confusion, and the former returned to Rainbow.
"Is this about that explosion?"
"Pretty much. We're just giving her an opening out of here so she can do her own thing."
"And your answer is... this." Rarity responded with a deadpan expression to match her monotone voice, motioning her hand over to Drill Sergeant Pie, cracking her jockey whip in the air, and forcing the students down pre-determined routes.
"Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Rainbow replied, smug as ever.
"That's not what that means, Rainbow." Applejack said with a slight groan.
"Eh, po-tay-to, po-tah-to."
"Oh my goodness..." Rarity rubbed her eyes with her index finger and thumb, and turned away from Rainbow.
"Were there any witnesses?" Applejack asked. Fluttershy quickly squeezed in-between her and Rarity.
"T-There was Rainbow Dash's friend... um... Gilda?"
"Oh yeah," Rainbow groaned, "she saw it all. I doubt she'll keep her fat mouth shut." She leaned against the lockers with a foot held against them and her arms folded. The rest of the girls all fell silent, save for Pinkie, and stood adjacent to either side of Rainbow.
"What're we gonna do?" Applejack asked.
"Well, first thing's first. We need to keep everyone in the dark." Rarity chimed in with her two cents. She took a step forward, twisting around on her heel, and standing tall and proud before the other three with her hands firm on his hips. "If word gets out that this was Sunset's doing, we may lose all hope in showing the school she is changing! Secondly, we have to ensure this doesn't happen again!"
"How?" Fluttershy asked. Before Rarity could reply, a pink blur whizzed past her and pulled Fluttershy forward, a pair of hands clutching her cheeks tight, and a pair of big blue eyes filling her vision.
"Easy peasy, Flutter-squeezy!" Pinkie chimed, squeezing Fluttershy's cheeks at the same time, "I know what'll do the trick! A good ol' smoothie down at Sugar Cube Corner!" She let go of Fluttershy, causing her to stumble while Pinkie danced her way in front of the rest of the Humane Five. "Nothing cheers a friend up like having shakes with someone you care about!"
"I suppose it's worth a shot." Rarity admitted.
"She did seem awfully mad when she used that magic..." Fluttershy added, rubbing her shoulders anxiously, "maybe it'll calm her down?"
"Then that's what we'll do! Pinkie will handle Sunset, and the rest of us will deal with Gilda!" Rainbow grinned. The five girls grouped together and held their hands in the middle, one over the other.
"Okay, we got our plan. Operation Sunrise is go!" Applejack smirked.
"Hooray! This'll be the best week ever!" Pinkie jumped for joy. The girls then broke and departed.
"Let's just hope that's all we gotta worry about." Rainbow remarked.
******
The damage to the hallway gained an audience rather quickly once word got around. The school staff were quick to label it as the work of vandals, though there was no clear evidence to suggest who was involved. Students were kept at a distance, forced to inspect the chaos from afar whilst the teachers conducted their investigation. Whispers were exchanged on the cause, but it was nothing more than mere guessing at best. Everyone appeared invested in uncovering the answer behind this mystery, but none were nearly as intrigued as a particular student watching a few feet away from the crowd.
She held her hand up, hovering it an inch from her blue steel face over her lips, piercing amber eyes scanning the scene behind her short black bangs, with a single thick navy blue highlight running down over her right temple. She tapped her black and purple sneakers against the floor in a slow and steady rhythm, while her other hand rested on her thigh over her dark denim shorts. As she pondered, the student let loose a smirk and turned around, slipping her hands into the pockets of her black and purple-striped sweater, and walked away, a deep chuckle rising at the back of her throat.
"Someone get Anne of Brittany on the phone,"  she said aloud, "cuz I'm about to hunt down a unicorn."

//-------------------------------------------------------//
                  Chapter 3: Solar Flare                   
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 3: Solar Flare
It was a long and taxing afternoon for Sunset Shimmer. The bright blue sky had been blocked by thick storm clouds, sending her enough red flags to make a break for her home before it was too late. Unfortunately for her, her legs were no match for the speed of the inevitable downpour. She was half-way to her destination when the heavens opened up and drenched her from head to toe. By the time she reached her block, she had given up the race and made the rest of her journey in a slow and steady pace, the look of defeat on her face.
"My kingdom for a teleportation spell." she thought, grimacing while she slipped her keys out of her pocket as she walked the small path towards her front door. As Sunset made her way inside, she lazily slipped out of her boots, dropped her jacket to the floor, and dragged her feet to the woodworm infested wardrobe in her bedroom. "And a fire spell while I'm thinking about it." she bitterly remarked.
Roars of thunder rivalling a dragon's, and the ferocity of the rain battering against the roof tiles and windows gave Sunset no peace of mind. Despite her attempts, nothing could deafen her to the noise.
"Augh, shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP! All I want is peace and..." Her train of thought was interrupted by the faint sound of dripping. It was close, real close. Sunset investigated her bedroom until she found the source; a drop of water fell from a large wet patch in the ceiling above her and splattered on her forehead. Pure seething rage was clear in her eyes.
"I. Hate. You." she said with disdain to the patch.
Once Sunset had fully stripped the damp clothing from her body, she wrapped herself up in a simple dressing gown, and finished up with kicking a bucket under the dripping. Now all she had to deal with was the clatter of water droplets against metal to add to the other annoying sounds that surrounded her.
"If I don't get any peace and quiet, I'm going to lose it!" she thought, clutching her head in both hands, and gritting her teeth with clenched eyes, groaning under the torment. She sat on her worn-out mattress and squeezed her hands tight over her ears, using all her strength to muffle the outside world, but all it did was give her a headache. Sharply inhaling through her teeth, Sunset was two seconds away from screaming profanity before her phone suddenly sprung to life with a pleasant jingle by her side. She released her ears and picked up her cell, staring at it in curiosity. With a flip of the screen, she brought the speaker to her ear.
"Who is this?" she asked in a demanding tone. The caller was all too happy to reply.
"Sunny! It's Pinkie! Did you get home alright? It's really bucketing it outside! You're not soaked, are you? I'd be freezing cold by now! Brr! Whatcha doin'? Are you busy? Well of course you aren't, cuz you picked up your phone! But now you're busy talking to me! So maybe-"
"Pinkie!" Sunset felt herself go dizzy from listening to Pinkie Pie alone; that girl's mouth could run circles around anyone's head.
"Oops, sorry! It's just so nice to hear you on the phone!" Sunset grumbled, rubbing the imaginary headache from her forehead.
"Is this fate's idea of giving me peace of mind? I'd rather be listening to the storm." she thought to herself. Another question soon crossed her mind. "Wait a minute, how did you get my number?"
"Oh silly, Pinkie Pie has her methods." she answered in a somewhat sultry tone, enough to give Sunset goosebumps. "So hey, I was wondering if you'd like to go out for milkshakes tonight? I know this great café near the school! The owners are REALLY nice, and they give me discounts cuz I work part-time! My treat! C'mon!"
"Sweet merciful Celestia, I just want some quiet! Is that so much to ask?!" Sunset glared into space and was about to decline, but her stomach kicked up a fuss and gave her pause.
"I heeeaaarrrd that, Sunny! I'll get you a muffin too!" Pinkie offered, sweetening the deal.
"... Fine." she reluctantly responded.
"EEEEE! I'll see you at Sugar Cube Corner, Sunny! Be sure to grab a brolly!"
"Hey, wait a se-!" Before she could finish, Pinkie quickly hung up the phone. "GRR! You didn't say when to meet, you crazy pink... WEIRDO!" Sunset started to strangle her phone, picturing it as Pinkie's neck. After a few seconds of punishing the inanimate object, she slowly calmed her nerves and took a deep breath, dropping the phone softly to her side, and resting her head in her hands. "Okay, no big deal. I don't have to call her back; I can just go there now, wait a few minutes, then come back and say I tried. Then I can try to get some alone time. At least that way there'll be witnesses."
Sunset Shimmer spent the next twenty minutes cleaning herself up with what limited accessories she had littering her poorly finished worn-down dressing table, cleaning her face with a damp cloth, and brushed her hair. With a quick re-visit to her wardrobe, she pulled out a second pair of her iconic clothes, and yanked on her boots.
Squish.
"... Eeeugh." Sunset squinted with discomfort, wriggling her toes uncontrollably as her soaked footwear drenched her feet. "Bucking... figures." she groaned, sinking her shoulders in defeat, grabbed her cheap umbrella by the door, and departed her home. "Those better be some damn good milkshakes."
******
Finding the café was simple enough. It was exactly where its name implied, out in the open for all to see. The journey, however, was far from simple. Once the wind started picking up, Sunset Shimmer was forced to keep her umbrella ahead of her, blocking her sight for the most part, and enduring the harsh battering of rain against her bare legs. With every corner she took, she risked the sudden gust blowing her brolly inside out, rendering her change of clothes completely pointless. Thankfully, Sunset only had to tolerate soggy boots by the time she reached Sugar Cube Corner. With a shake of her umbrella, and the draining of her boots to the side, the teen walked inside, the squeaking of her wet soles on the lacquered flooring signalled her arrival.
The pleasant scent of sugar and chocolate was the first thing to hit Sunset's senses. It beat the typical city aroma any day, and the combination of the heating and lighting made her smile. She walked over to an empty table and sat herself on the cushioned seat fitted into the wall.
"Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea. It's certainly quieter compared to home." she thought. For a while, she had almost forgotten why she came. The world seemed to disappear as she closed her eyes and rested herself in her seat, relaxing herself, and sinking down.
"SUNNY!" Pinkie shouted, shocking Sunset into striking her knees into the underside of the table out of fright.
"OW! AAAH! AH!" She quickly pulled her legs up against her chest and rubbed over her kneecaps, tears building up at the corners of her eyes from the unbearable pain. Pinkie stood at the opposite end of the table, sheepishly watching Sunset writhe on her chair with her thumb pressed over her lips.
"Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to scare you!"
"Grr... d-dammit, Pinkie!" Sunset growled behind gritted teeth. The stress had come back in full force, and she looked about ready to burst. It was only thanks to Pinkie's unusual attire that she was distracted from popping. "What the... the heck are you wearing?"
"Silly! This is what all chefs wear at Sugar Cube Corner!" Pinkie announced with pride, showing off her colourful apron and chef's hat, which somehow contained most of her unbelievable hair. Maybe it was because of her unnatural fashion style that anything resembling the norm seemed out of place on Pinkie Pie, Sunset thought.
"She neglected to mention she was working *tonight*. Guess that plan's gone bust." With a sigh of defeat, she rested her feet back on the floor, now that her knees had gone numb, and crossed her arms on the table. "I thought we were having milkshakes."
"And a muffin!" Pinkie responded, slipping a double chocolate chip muffin on the table before her. "I'm on my break in a minute, so I'll bring our shakes over soon! Be right back!" She cheerfully slid across the floor to the doors leading to the kitchen, leaving Sunset alone with her muffin. She took the muffin in hand and absent-mindedly bit into it, only to widen her eyes in reaction to the delicious flavour coating her tongue.
"Oh Celestia, I forgot what real food tastes like!" Sunset couldn't hold herself back. She took bite after bite out of the muffin, puffing her cheeks out as she relished in the sweetness of the delicacy. Other patrons couldn't help but stare at the awkward scene she presented. By the time Sunset had acknowledged them, she had already stuffed half of the muffin past her lips without swallowing, forcing her to pause and blush in embarrassment. She quickly gulped it all down.
"Mind your own business!" she snapped. The customers pulled their gaze away, some with chuckles, others with contempt, and left Sunset to her meal. She sneered at them and returned to eating, albeit at a slower pace this time.
******
By the time Pinkie had returned with the milkshakes, Sunset was resting back in her seat, hand on her belly, and eyes closed with a smile on her face. This provoked a grin from her pink-haired associate as she sat close to Sunset's side and set their glasses before them, the tiny clink of glass on wood alerting her to Pinkie's arrival. She sat up and looked over the shakes, then to Pinkie.
"Thanks." she said, reaching over and pulling her drink in close, taking the straw into her mouth and sucking it in. Pinkie remained silent, doing nothing but watching Sunset drink with a gentle grin. "What is she waiting for? Sunset pondered, "Did she spike my shake or something? What... oh... oh Celestia, it's *good*." The look of simple bliss on Sunset made Pinkie grin wider.
"I knew you'd love it! That's my special brand of strawberry-choco-biscuit milkshake, reserved for only the best of friends!" she proclaimed. Sunset ceased drinking and looked over to her in a mix of confusion and concern.
"Best?"
"Yepperoonie!" Pinkie chimed.
"How are we best? We've only been friends for a week."
"And you're already one of my besties! Isn't that amazing?!"
"No, I... you missed the point. How am I already your best?"
"Because you're not you anymore, you're you you!"
"That doesn't make any sense! I completely sabotaged your decorations for the Fall Formal, and here you are buying me drinks and food! I don't get it!" Sunset pushed. Pinkie tilted her head to the side in the similar vein of a puppy, then snorted softly.
"Oh Sunny, that was ages ago. This is now. So you were a little mean, but that's not who you are now!" Sunset stared, mouth agape, and eyes tense in confusion. She looked away from Pinkie with a mix of frustration and shame in her expression.
"How can you be so naive?" Sunset asked. Pinkie's smile diminished.
"Huh?"
"How can you forgive me so quickly?! It's... stupid! I wronged you! I wronged all of you! But you're all so quick to forgive and forget! Even after what Twilight did, this is way too much!" Her eyes remained away from Pinkie's, staring at her glass as she recounted. Pinkie blinked in silence, then fully turned towards Sunset.
"Because it's what friends do, Sunny." she answered in what Sunset could only describe as the most serious tone she's ever heard her use, "We say sorry, we hug it out, play games, and hang out together for everyone to see just how much we care about each other." Her tone was sincere, and her smile was warm and gentle, a far cry from the cartoonish grin Sunset was used to seeing. She was speechless before Pinkie, eyes locked with each other, and nothing more than mere stuttering noises at the back of her throat. "Didn't you do that with your pony friends?"
"I... no." Sunset replied, melancholy. There was an uncomfortable pause for a short period, leaving Pinkie curious.
"Did you do anything with them?" she asked. Sunset remained silent, though her hands clutched tight. Pinkie's curiosity now turned into concern. "Did something happen...?"
"Pinkie, I... I don't want to talk about it." Sunset's eyes weighed down to the table, her voice raspy and shallow. Pinkie Pie frowned and held her hands on Sunset's arm.
"You know you can talk to me about anything, right? I wouldn't tell anyone anything you'd rather keep between us." she said with a smile. Sunset's half-lidded eyes slowly focused on Pinkie's, her upper body slouching against the table's surface, and her head feeling heavy. She averted her gaze again and lost her focus over the table top.
"It's a long story."
"I'll ask Mr and Mrs Cake if I can work overtime." Sunset could feel in her heart Pinkie wasn't going to budge.
"I'm about to pour my heart out to *Pinkie Pie** of all people. What kind of sick world is this?"*
******
"Medea! Wait up!" Sunset Shimmer called out, galloping after the young aqua-blue unicorn ahead of her. Medea Rose skidded to a halt and twisted around, shaking the golden locks of her mane out of her crimson eyes, her autumn tree cutie mark proudly displayed, and grinning childishly.
"C'mon, Sunset! You're faster than that!"
"Do I look like an earth pony to you? Sheesh..." Sunset slowed down and stood before Medea with her head hung low, panting for air, "My lungs are burning."
"You'll get over it. Come on! We're almost there!" With a glow of her horn, she telekinetically tugged Sunset along by her hoof and ran on.
"Ah! M-Medea!"
It wasn't long before the two unicorns arrived at the grounds of Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. The area was filled with young unicorns and their parents heading towards the front entrance, a look of excitement and wonder on their faces. The school itself stood taller than any other Sunset had ever seen before, let alone attended. The majesty of its architecture matched that of Canterlot Castle, giving it a very royal appeal. The entrance itself was fashioned like a drawbridge, though purely cosmetic for the sake of the theme. Regardless, Sunset was filled with anticipation.
"This time tomorrow, you and me will be walking in there as fellow students!" Medea boasted proudly. Sunset nodded with enthusiasm.
"The entrance exam will be a piece of cake."
"You know it!" Both unicorns laughed together and made their way inside.
The hallways were as regal as the outside. The marble flooring was pristine and well kept, the walls were clean and without flaw in the painting of them, and the space was wide yet never overwhelming. Sunset Shimmer's eyes sparkled from the brilliance of it all.
"It's everything I ever dreamed...!" she said.
"And it'll be a reality in no time." Medea commented, smiling and nudging her softly.
"Yeah, right!" Sunset replied, though as they continued to walk the halls, her expression softened and began to sour. Medea looked to her with concern.
"Hey, don't feel so down. My parents couldn't make it either."
"I-I know, I'm just scared of doing it alone. Moral support is integral to a unicorn's growth in magic!"
"Well, we'll be with each other in spirit at least." Medea replied, nudging her head against Sunset's in an affectionate manner. Sunset blushed instantly and looked away, pouting.
"Medea! We're supposed to be professional!" This made Medea snort loudly.
"Wow, listen to you! You sound like the Princess' protégé already!" she remarked. Sunset's blush intensified and her eyes widened as she quickly stared at Medea.
"Y-You think so?!"
"Relaaax, Sunset. We're just fillies after all."
"Right, I know that." Sunset's excitement calmed until she had regained her composure, walking the hallway with her head held high in pride.
After a few minutes of playful banter and support, the two unicorns arrived at a pair of large doors, a sign held up on one marking the room as the location for the entrance exam. Sunset's breathing intensified and a cold sweat dripped down her face. Medea's own confident demeanour also appeared to fail her as her eyes began to start left and right. Both fillies stood before the doors in silence, hooves fidgeting against the flooring, and their tails flicking from agitation.
"Excuse me." a voice called out from behind.
"AAAH!" Both fillies screamed out in terror and clung to each other. A cough brought their attention around, spotting a much taller pale purple unicorn looking over them, his horn glowing a bright gold, and a clipboard and quill hovering beside him.
"Are you Sunset Shimmer and Medea Rose?" he asked. The two fillies slowly let go of each other, Sunset the first to clear her throat and speak.
"Um... yes, sir. We're here for the entrance exam." The stallion stared at them both, scanning across the two. Sunset felt she was being judged before she even did anything.
"Very well. You will be first, Miss Shimmer." he declared, walking between them and opening the doors with his magic, and entering the examination room. Sunset was left speechless and in a fidget. Medea watched her stutter and feared she was only moments away from choking.
"Hey, Sunset! Ease up, you've got this!" She placed her hoof on Sunset's shoulder and shook her slightly. Once Sunset snapped back to reality, she gulped down her fears and nodded to Medea.
"Right... right, I do! I've got this!" she proudly proclaimed with a smile. Both fillies nodded to each other before Sunset turned and walked into the room, the doors slamming shut behind her. Medea simply watched for the doors to open again with anticipation.

//-------------------------------------------------------//
                    Chapter 4: Sun Spot                    
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 4: Sun Spot
"I GOT IT!" The sudden bellow knocked Medea off her hooves and dropped her hard onto the marble flooring. She shook off the daze and stood up, watching Sunset bounce around with joy radiating off her.
"You passed?" she asked.
"Yes! I passed it! I'm officially a student! YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!" The energy bursting from Sunset was overwhelming to say the least. Her horn sparked with uncontrollable magic, and her grin was wider than ever. Medea couldn't help but smirk.
"See? I told you! Who was right, huh?!" She quickly wrapped Sunset up in a headlock and gave her a heavy-duty noogie.
"OW! OWOWOWOW! Medea! OW! Stoppit!" Sunset pushed against Medea, lighting up her horn and pulling her off. She rubbed her head with tears in her eyes and pouted lips.
"Aww, don't be such a foal. We're just one pass away from celebrating!" Medea nudged against Sunset with a playful grin, though the fire-mane unicorn was far from pleased with the headache now present. The doors opened up again, and the stallion from before poked his head out, staring at Medea.
"Miss Rose, we're ready for you." he announced before disappearing behind the doors again. Medea took a deep breath through her nose and out past her lips. Sunset gave her a reassuring shoulder hug and smiled. The two nodded in unison and Medea made her way inside, the doors slamming behind her.
******
"You... you what?" Sunset stood before Medea, mouth agape.
"I didn't get it..." Medea's head was low, eyes hidden behind her mane, and her voice weak. Sunset's eyes trailed side to side, a chaotic mess of thoughts buzzing in her mind.
"There has to be some mistake. You're just as good as I am!"
"Well apparently not! I completely screwed it up!" She snapped, startling her friend. For Sunset, her childhood fantasy was crashing down all around her, and there was little she could do about it.
"What happened?" she asked. Medea leaned against a set of lockers and banged her head against the metal with a loud clang echoing in the hall.
"It was stupid. All I had to do was cast a gem finder spell on a hunk of rock, find a piece of sapphire, and dig it out with nothing but raw magic. Only the stupid spell didn't work right, and I ended up picking out stupid bits of ruby instead!"
"Couldn't they give you another chance?"
"I tried, but those uptight know-it-alls are such mules. They wouldn't let me try after that embarrassment."
"But... b-but we're... it's supposed to be the two of us! We're supposed to graduate together!"
"I know!" Medea took a deep breath and raised her head, eyes closed until she exhaled slowly. "I know. Look, we can still do this. We just need to find another way." Sunset looked a little caught off by this.
"Another? But... but I'm a student here."
"We can be students elsewhere! There are other schools!"
"I know! But this school is a once in a lifetime chance for any unicorn! I... I can't just give it up! My parents would be furious!" she said. Medea frowned and took a step towards Sunset.
"What, you're just gonna quit on us because of what your parents think?"
"No! I mean, I want to go to this school! I've wanted it since my mom told me about it!" Tensions were rising. Medea was steadily looking more angry while Sunset was on the defensive.
"We're supposed to be doing this together. We promised we would! YOU promised we would!" Medea spat.
"I... but..."
"You can't just abandon me! What am I gonna do without you?! We're in this together!"
"B-But...!" Sunset was choking on her own words, struggling to remain strong against Medea's attack, "I can't...! I can't! I've wanted this for so long! I... I thought we'd be in it together! I thought there was no way only one of us would fail!"
"I guess you were wrong. So what're you gonna do about it?" she scowled at Sunset, visibly shaking. Sunset's eyes shrunk in fear, feeling herself shrink before Medea, and darting her eyes left and right.
"I... I..." Sunset whimpered, with Medea scowling, her face tense with anger.
"So that's it?! I screw up, and you suddenly think you're too good for me?!"
"No! I... I just don't want to give this up! Please, Medea! Don't do this to me!" she pleaded Medea, who hardly appeared very merciful at this point. Her eyes squinted with contempt, and her teeth were clenched behind tight lips.
"Fine. FINE!" Medea yelled, shocking Sunset out of her thoughts, and stomping past her with a shove. Sunset stumbled on her hooves and twisted around, watching Medea leave in anger.
"Medea! Wait, please!" Despite her attempts, Medea didn't heed her call, storming off out of sight. Sunset stood alone in the halls, tears streaming down her face, her legs wobbling, and her head hung low, eyes clung tightly shut. "Wait..."
******
Sunset kept her hands around the glass of her milkshake, staring blankly at the mix of cream and milk in silence. Pinkie inched closer to her, nudging her hip into Sunset's, and snapping her out of her daze. She glared at Pinkie who's face was only an inch away, showing off the most innocent grin she could muster. Sunset struggled to figure which was more distracting, her painfully awkward lack of a sense of personal space, or the smell of cotton candy coming from her hair. No matter the case, she strengthened her scowl at Pinkie until she scooted back a foot.
"Sorry, I thought that'd make you smile." she explained. Sunset's glare softened, and she looked back to her milkshake.
"There's a lot about me you don't know..."
"Then keep going so I will!" Pinkie slurped her milkshake through a straw at an obnoxious volume, her full focus on Sunset. The teen glared daggers at her again, and Pinkie slowed her slurping down to a gentle suck. "Sorry." she whispered. Sunset sighed, rolling her eyes, and leaned on her hand, her elbow pressed against the table top.
"It wasn't all gloom. There were some happier moments at the time, as brief as they were..."
******
"Only three days left. I trust you are excited?" said Princess Celestia as she looked down with a gentle smile to the young Sunset Shimmer as they walked the halls of the school. The filly answered with a grin of excitement, barely keeping her hooves tied to the floor as she was bursting with energy.
"Yeah! It's so amazing here! I can't wait to get started!"
"Patience is a virture, my dear student. Remember that in your studies." The princess brushed one of her large but gentle wings over Sunset's head, her feathers combing through the filly's mane and tickling her nose. Sunset snorted in repressed laughter and nodded.
"I will!"
"I know you will." The two continued to walk down the long hall as both students and teachers passed them, most if not all stopping to bow in respect to the princess, who in return would give them a slight bow of her head. Sunset always watched Celestia's reactions to the others, and her eyes sparkled with both respect and inspiration. As they began to walk up the large staircase in the middle of the grand hall of the school, Sunset spoke.
"Princess, you're so nice to everypony." Celestia's ears perked, and her eyes turned to the little filly.
"You sound confused. Should I not be?" A playful smile coated her lips.
"N-No! You're amazing! It's no wonder everypony loves you!"
"Buuut...?"
"... But why? You're the ruler of Equestria, and a powerful alicorn. Didn't you ever think anypony was beneath you at all?" Sunset asked, her eyes full of innocence. Celestia frowned slightly, but she returned to smiling shortly after.
"You are a very curious pony, Sunset. Your desire for knowledge is a gift not everypony shares."
"Princess...?"
"Well, to answer your question, I see everypony with incredible potential. Each one is just as capable as you or me in doing wonderful things. All it takes is a good head on your shoulders, a strong heart, and the willpower to endure and overcome any hardship. It is through these trials that you inspire everypony around you, and they in turn inspire you to go on. You and me, Sunset? We are only different in title and appearance. But in our hearts, we are all the same. That is why." Sunset's eyes widened with both admiration and wonder. Her gaping smile was so wide, Celestia feared she'd swallow a fly.
"And... I have potential too?"
"More than you realize. I think you are destined for great things, my little pony."
"Princess!" A sudden call from behind forced Celestia to stop in her tracks, with Sunset only pausing a second later. She turned her head and met eyes with a golden coated female earth pony galloping after her until she came to an abrupt halt before the alicorn princess. Sunset looked over her and noticed how her brown mane was short and tied back in a funny little brush shape, and her even shorter tail followed the same pattern. The black paw-shaped cutie mark was rather cute to Sunset, forcing a tiny giggle out of the filly. "Forgive me, but I must speak with you."
"It is no trouble, Paws. What is the problem?" Celestia asked.
"It is regarding your most recent student, Sunset Shimmer." Sunset's demeanour shook a little. Her classes had not even started and she was already in trouble? Aside from gathering supplies and speaking with the princess, she hadn't done anything related since her enrolment.
"Did she do something wrong?"
"That's why I need to speak to you. We have reason to believe that she might have cheated in her enrolment exam." Her words felt as though they were coated in razor blades the moment they touched Sunset's eardrums. Her entire world rocked violently, and it only got worse the moment she saw the shock on Celestia's face, something that was a foreign concept to the filly.
"Cheated?!" Sunset yelled.
******
"You cheated?!" Pinkie screamed loudly, provoking a sudden silence in the entire café. Sunset quickly slapped her hand over Pinkie's mouth and gripped tight, glowering at her.
"Keep your voice down!" she sharply whispered, looking around as both customers and staff awkwardly started at her. She quietly sunk back into her seat and released Pinkie, looking at the smudge of cream over her palm in disgust, and grabbing a napkin to wipe it clean.
"Sorry." Pinkie said quietly. She gave a sheepish smile to the less-than-amused Sunset, who merely rolled her eyes with a sigh.
"May I continue?"
"Yep!"
******
"Sunset Shimmer, is this true?" Celestia asked, turning her full attention to the fearful filly.
"No! I swear, I didn't cheat!" Her eyes were filling up with tears, and her voice croaked with terror. Celestia gave her a stern look, eyes unwavering, and her breathing was calm, everything the opposite to what Sunset was going through. She kept that painful look on Sunset for what felt like hours before she turned her head to Paws with a softened expression.
"What proof do you have she cheated?"
"A janitor came across some powder in the middle of the exam room the other day. Our herbologist managed to identify it as a particular herb that can temporarily increase a unicorn's magic." Paws explained. Celestia was a mix of troubled and concerned. She closed her eyes and fell deep in thought while Sunset remained close by, fidgeting her hooves against the red rug. The princess opened her eyes and looked to Paws.
"Follow procedure."
"Right away, Your Highness." With a heavy bow, Paws departed from the scene, trotting down the hallway until she disappeared down a flight of stairs. Sunset looked up at Celestia, a subtle whimper behind her wobbling lips.
"W-What's procedure, Princess...?" she asked. Celestia turned and lowered her head to Sunset's level, smiling.
"The teachers are simply going to conduct an investigation to find the truth. If you are innocent, then they will find nothing that ties you to the herb."
"B-But I didn't cheat! I swear it!"
"I know, Sunset." Celestia replied. Sunset's shivering ceased, and her fear turned to surprise.
"Y... you do?"
"I do. I can see lies in the eyes of all my students, and I know you weren't lying to me." Her smile hardly wavered, enough to calm Sunset's nerves considerably. She took a deep breath and stared at the rug beneath them.
"Why am I the only one suspected? There must have been dozens of unicorns enrolling."
"That is true, but you were the only one who didn't fail their exam." This revelation shook Sunset to her core. She quickly looked up and met eyes with Celestia.
"The only one?!"
"That's right. You have a remarkable gift about you, Sunset. I suppose that's why you're the only suspect as well," Celestia rose her head, though her sight did not leave Sunset, "you need to be considerably powerful and skilled to even make it to the enrolment exam."
"And... if anypony had used that herb, then they'd have passed for sure." Sunset chimed in. Celestia gave her an approving nod.
"That is correct."
"But if that's true, then why am I still the only one who did?!"
"A very good question." Celestia looked away from Sunset and stared passed the window to the school grounds where the unicorns were playing. "But that will have to wait, we need to focus on proving your innocence. The sooner we do that, the sooner you can rest easier."
"What do you mean?" Sunset's ears flicked and perked.
"Until your exam results are proven genuine, your enrolment will be put on hold." Celestia's words were like a powerful wrecking ball against the pane of glass that was Sunset's confidence. The second those words sunk in, the filly felt heavy and breathless. "I'm sorry, Sunset. I'm afraid there's nothing I can do about that."
******
The walk home for young Sunset Shimmer was a long and dreadful journey. With every step she took, at least three different terrifying thoughts plagued her mind. What were her parents going to say? How was she going to get out of this? How will this affect her aspirations? It was all a frightening experience for her, to the point she prayed it was just a bad dream she was going to wake up from at any moment. Unfortunately, this was not the case, and that fact alone brought her even closer to breaking down on the spot. She needed to talk to someone, anyone. Just someone she could trust. With luck, Medea was going to be merciful enough to at least listen to her pleas.
Thankfully, her home wasn't too far from the street Sunset was walking. She changed her current course and headed straight towards it. Much to her relief, the lights were on. She quickly walked up the steps of the porch to the front door and rapidly pressed her hoof on the doorbell.
"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon..." As she bounced on the tips of her hooves, she watched a shadow from the other side of the tinted glass approach. With the sound of the locks clicking, and the rattle of a tiny chain, the door creaked open, and a dark blue coated female unicorn wearing her black hair in a bun at the back of her head appeared before her. She looked down at Sunset in curiosity.
"Sunset Shimmer! This is a surprise. I haven't heard from you in days."
"I'm sorry, Mrs Star Gaze. I've been um... busy." Sunset tapped her hoof against the porch in a fidget, "Is Medea home?"
"She's up in her room. Would you like a drink?" Star stepped aside and welcomed Sunset inside, smiling and closing the door behind her.
"I'm fine, thanks." With a nod of respect to Star Gaze, Sunset trotted her way up the wooden staircase to the narrow hallway, admiring the familiar lime green wallpaper decorated with pink blossoms and roses. She reached a white door covered in childish scribbles of random ponies admiring two familiar fillies standing either side of Princess Celestia, all done in permanent ink. A memory of herself and Medea creating these illustrations briefly graced Sunset's mind, and she stared longingly at the drawing of the two of them.
"I guess her not scribbling me out is a good sign." she thought. Coming back to the present, Sunset reached out and lightly knocked on the door.
"It's open." Medea called out in a faint voice. Using her horn to turn the handle, Sunset slowly walked inside, looking over to Medea sprawled out on her bed, facing away from the door. She took note of the mess Medea's room was in, with drawers halfway open, random articles of clothing littering the carpet, and books thrown idly.
"Medea...?" Sunset called out quietly. Medea's ears perked up and she turned her head to face Sunset, though her surprise didn't last long as it was quickly overcome with a frown. She turned back to the wall and groaned.
"What do you want?"
"I... I need to talk to you. I don't know where else to go, who else to talk to..." Sunset's ears flattened as she started to explain, eyes unable to focus on Medea and shifting across the clutter around her hooves. Medea's head turned again, albeit only slightly, with an eye looking over her shoulder at Sunset.
"Sounds like you're in some trouble."
"I am. My enrolment's been delayed because the teachers suspect me of cheating in the exam."
"What?" Medea's full attention was now in Sunset's grasp. She sat up on her bed and looked to the filly in shock. "You cheated?"
"No! I didn't cheat! Why would I cheat?!" Her horn sparked and her cheeks turned to a flush of red. Medea's half-lidded stare trailed to her bedroom window, and a pout grew on her lips.
"Well, you always wanted to get into that school..."
"I didn't cheat, I swear to Celestia!" Sunset screamed, slamming her hooves on the carpet, and sparking with more fierce magic from the tip of her horn. Medea looked back at her with a raised eyebrow, seemingly monitoring Sunset's reaction as she panted in annoyance. With a deep sigh, she slipped her way off her bed and trotted before Sunset.
"... Alright, you didn't cheat. But why come to me?"
"I just... didn't know where else to go. My parents wouldn't believe me, and..." she paused, lowering her head in shame, "and you're the only friend I have... had." Sunset curled one leg around the other, and she looked away from Medea with small tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. Medea's stoic expression remained for a few seconds, but she eventually softened up and let out a long exhale, walking her way over and curling her leg around Sunset's neck, bringing her into a warm hug, much to Sunset's surprise.
"Have." Medea corrected with a smile. Sunset's eyes widened, and an uncontrollable smile broke out across her lips, her tears of sorrow now replaced with streams of joy as she wrapped her legs around Medea's neck, hugging her tightly.
"I'm sorry I abandoned you, Medea...! I didn't mean to hurt you!" she cried into her shoulder.
"It's okay, Sunset. I can't stay mad at you forever." Medea leaned her head against Sunset as they both remained in each other's embrace, Sunset's grip was especially tight but left just enough room for Medea to breathe.
"What am I gonna do? Mom and Dad will kill me! No school will ever accept me!" She shivered against Medea, her panic overtaking her senses, and her breathing hastening. Medea pulled her back and brought her face up.
"Hey, you're just overreacting. Sunset, look at me!" Sunset jumped at the rise of Medea's voice upon her order, and she immediately complied, her sight focused on Medea's stern eyes, "Calm down, and think. As long as you didn't do it, what chance is there that this'll harm you in the long run?" Sunset let the question sink in, and after a few seconds of contemplation, she answered with a quick nod, though her vision hung as low as her ears. Medea smiled warmly and pulled her into a hug again.
"I guess I'm just a little paranoid..." Sunset muttered, leaning her head into Medea's neck.
"Maybe a little. Anypony with half a brain could have made that concoction." she reassured with a chuckle. Sunset stared idly into space, but her eyes quickly snapped wider, every gear in her brain going into overdrive. She backed out of Medea's hold and stepped away from her, glaring at her in fright, and her face turning pale. Medea stared in confusion. "What?"
"How... did you know about the concoction?" Sunset asked with a croak, just barely keeping herself from stuttering. Her eyes never blinked, and her breathing was shallow and fast. Medea didn't seem fazed, and she merely chortled.
"You said so."
"I never said anything about how I was suspected."
"Yeah you did, with the herb and-"
"No. I didn't." Sunset cut her off. One terrifying thought after another started to spread in her mind like a virus, but no matter what rational reason she tried to make up, there was only one logical answer. Medea was starting to lose her composure at this point, with her hooves in a slight fidget, and her eyes subtly darting across the background past Sunset's face. "Answer me! How did you know?"
"... Fine!" she snapped, "I was scared I wasn't gonna pass, so I tried some stupid herb to improve my chances, but the stupid thing didn't work! I failed all the same!" Despite her confession, Sunset's ice cold scowl didn't ease.
"You're lying."
"Why would I lie about admitting to cheating?!" Now Medea was on the offensive, both fillies battling with the daggers in their eyes. Sunset didn't falter, however.
"That powder was confirmed by the herbologists at the school to be a herb, a single herb that can boost a unicorn's magic! It takes some real idiocy to screw that up!"
"Oh that's rich! I was stupid enough to mess up my enrolment exam, yet you say I'm not stupid enough to mess up a magic boost which clearly didn't work!? How else could I have failed then?!"
"Because..." Sunset's glare grew harsher, her cheeks a flush of bright red, teeth gritting, and her horn sparking wildly, "you weren't trying to cheat. You were trying to frame me!"
******
"She didn't!" Pinkie cried out, once again attracting the attention of the customers in awkward silence. Sunset practically gave up on restraining her at this point, and simply ignored the stares they were on the receiving end of. She then leaned back, her arms folded, and one leg crossed over the other.
"Yeah, she did. Apparently, she thought she could get me begging for her forgiveness by sabotaging my enrolment into the school." she muttered, a faint twitch in her eyes, "Kids are stupid."
"But I thought you said you were friends."
"We were, but when she realized I wasn't giving up on my aspirations, she decided to screw me over."
"So..." Pinkie muttered, hesitation in her voice, "what did you do?" Sunset didn't reply right away, instead she held onto her arms and sunk her head lower, her lidded eyes skimming over her lap without focus. She eventually answered with a quiet and somewhat reluctant tone of voice.
"What I had to."
******
Sunset Shimmer ended up sticking around until the end of Pinkie's shift, long after the storm had subsided. She took great comfort in the lighting and heating the café had provided, a luxury she couldn't afford to waste nor reject. Thanks to Pinkie's good word, she was allowed to stick around without purchasing anything, an act that cheered her up after the melancholy tale she shared had soured her mood. Despite the sweet relief her surroundings presented to her, Sunset was barely kept from falling asleep in her seat, mostly thanks to Pinkie darting back and forth between the kitchen, the register, and her table to share her own batch of stories, though mostly quick ones regarding her recent successes in her pastries and cakes with the odd exception of something to do with cheese sandwiches.
She had to admit, despite her initial reluctance, Sunset had enjoyed her time spend in the café. It took her mind off the magic incident at the school, and she couldn't think of a better way she would have spent the night other than curled up under her bed sheets in her cold damp shed of a house. In an ironic twist, Pinkie's company was actually rather soothing; Sunset had not felt this relaxed in months, and the opportunity to talk about herself, even a little, was a welcome one.
"Hey, you ready to go?" Pinkie called out from the middle of the shop floor, grinning in her bright pink raincoat. Sunset stared at her for a moment, and let out a soft giggle before nodding in reply and stepping out of her seat. With the retrieval of her umbrella and the adjustment of her leather jacket, Sunset stood beside Pinkie and smiled.
"Ready." she said. Pinkie's cheesy smile grew wider and she quickly threw open the front door, bouncing her way outside with Sunset in tow. With the storm now passed, the wind was calm, and the streets were soaked, with the odd puddle on the pathway, something Pinkie Pie couldn't resist jumping into every time they passed one, much to Sunset's own irritation.
"Didja have fun, Sunny?" Pinkie gleamed with positivity, and Sunset couldn't help but grin in response, her face scrunching up in an attempt to keep a straight face.
"Yeah, it was... nice." she admitted, though she rolled her eyes at herself for her incorrect predictions not long ago. Pinkie jumped to her side and wrapped an arm tight around Sunset, squeezing her close, and giggling with a snort to follow.
"I knew you'd love it! Nothing like shakes between besties!" With her cheek pressed up against Pinkie's, Sunset blushed, her whole body fidgeting in the uncomfortably close proximity she had her in. After a bit of wriggling her way out, Sunset brushed her hair out of her face and slowly nodded, then pointed to the crosswalk close by.
"That's where we part, I'm afraid."
"Aww, bummer. These moments don't last long enough!"
"In my case, I think I've had enough happy fun times for one day." Sunset chuckled and patted Pinkie's back, walking to the edge of the pavement. "I'll see you tomorrow, Pink."
"Hey, wait! Why don't I walk you home?" She quickly jumped to Sunset's side, bouncing up and down on her toes. Sunset turned pale and quickly waved her arms at Pinkie.
"Um, th-that's okay! I can handle myself!"
"Aw, don't be silly! I know that! You can just never have enough company!" Pinkie winked and nudged Sunset's arm with a smirk. Sunset felt her gut twist and a lump rise in her throat.
"Oh Celestia, I can't let her follow me home! I need to get rid of her!" Just as Sunset was looking for a way out, the attention of them both was hooked by another.
"Hey, freak! I've been looking for you!" They both turned their heads down the direction they came, and spotted Gilda glaring them down a dozen feet away. Sunset returned her gaze with a sneer of her own, while Pinkie blinked in confusion.
"Fate, why are you cruel to me?" Sunset chose to turn away from Gilda, pressing the button on the crosswalk's post, and waited for the road to clear.
"Don't you ignore me!" Gilda growled, storming her way towards them.
"I'm not!" Pinkie chimed.
"I'm not talking to you, dweeb! I'm talking to the witch!"
"Just ignore her, Sunset." She took a deep breath and relaxed the tension in her shoulders, flexing out her fingers to ease the stress.
"You think you can cast all that hocus pocus and just walk away?! My team mate took a blow to the head because of your voodoo!" Gilda pointed an accusatory finger at Sunset, who didn't give her the decency of a look.
"What?! Sunny wouldn't hurt anyone!" Pinkie frowned and stood between Gilda and Sunset, unhindered by her predator-like eyes. Gilda stopped in her tracks, now sneering down at Pinkie.
"Oh grow a braincell, moron! It wasn't that long ago she threatened to shave your head and stuff it all in your tuba because of your noise!" she argued. Sunset winced and looked away, gripping at the sleeves of her jacket. As much as she wish she could defend herself, there was no denying she had made such a threat.
"That was Old Sunny! New Sunny is far nicer!"
"You honestly believe that? You haven't even known her for more than a fortnight, yet you claim to know her inside and out! How many people do you reckon she's hurt? She's a manipulator! Just as she's manipulating you to fight her own battles!"
"She isn't-!" Before Pinkie could finish, an arm suddenly swung before her and cut her off from Gilda. Sunset stood between them now, and stared the brute down.
"No-one fights my battles." she stated in a venomous tone. Gilda only carried a cocky smirk in response.
"Really? Because if memory serves, you had a couple of lackeys doing all the dirty work for you during the Fall Formal fiasco." She wasn't afraid to jab her where it'd do some damage, Sunset knew this, but she still felt her muscles twitch with anger. "And that's just one out of several I can recount. Hell, most of 'em I heard from Dash."
"That's all in the past! I've changed!" Sunset claimed with her face turning red.
"HAH! That'll be the day! 'Sunset Shimmer turns over a new leaf and becomes the paragon of CHS! In other news, goats are learning how to drive'!"
"They are?!" Pinkie howled. Sunset felt her face go limp, and she glared at her to the side of her sight.
"Pinkie. Not now." she growled behind clenched teeth.
"Face it, freak. You'll never drop that reputation. You'll always be that two-dimensional alpha bitch you convinced everyone you are. And that little show you put on will only cement it further that you are still a total she-demon!" Gilda's force was overwhelming for Sunset, who felt herself lean back as the giant of a teen stared down at her with ease. Her eyes twitched with anger she was barely restraining, but she maintained her composure with what strength of will she had left.
"I... will prove it...!" she claimed between short hate-filled breaths. Gilda cocked a smirk and leaned back with her hands on her hips.
"You'll prove how much of a lost cause you are. Everyone knows that. It's only because of naive peanut-brains like her that you haven't gone and hidden under a rock yet!" she said with a finger pointed at Pinkie over her shoulder, who stood silent and visibly nervous. "Without her, you'd be alone. You always were alone. You're so damn weak, you need those idiots." Her provoking had finally tipped Sunset's patience over the edge. With a visible shrink in her pupils, Sunset lunged out in a fit of rage and pounced Gilda, using all the weight and strength she had to throw Gilda off her feet and pin her to the hard pavement below. As her head hit the pavement, Gilda yelped in pain and quickly grabbed Sunset by her shoulders, throwing her off with power that surprised Sunset despite her obvious muscular build.
Sunset rolled to the side and felt her body slam hard into a brick wall, leaving her with a powerful ache coursing around her spine. As she came to her senses, Gilda was already on her feet and storming over to Sunset, reeling her leg back then kicking forward, fiercely landing her steel toe-capped boot into Sunset's gut. She shrieked in pain and fell into a coughing fit as her lungs desperately tried to retrieve air faster than her wind pipe would allow.
"Yeah, hurts when you're the one on the receiving end, doesn't it?!" Gilda said, relishing in the superiority she had over Sunset's predicament. She pulled her leg back again and prepared to land another blow, but her focus was cut off as Pinkie latched onto her around her neck and pulled her back.
"Stop it! Leave her alone!" she cried out.
"Rrgh! Let go of me, you idiot!" Gilda swung around and used her weight to throw Pinkie Pie off her with ease, sending her to the pavement with a heavy thud on her backside. Now free of interruption, Gilda reached down and grasped the collar of Sunset's purple shirt, pulling her up and clenching her free hand into a fist. "I'm gonna enjoy putting you in your place, she-demon!" Sunset's gaze was blurred from tears in her eyes, making the blow to the side of her face all the more surprising. As her vision blacked out for a second, pain rocked the side of her jaw, and the vile taste of copper covered her tongue.
"How does it feel, huh?! Go on, tell me! Tell me what it's like to be one of your victims!"
"I've changed...!" Sunset glared through stinging eyes in defiance of Gilda, who's smug grin turned to a scowl.
"You'll never change!"
"Yes I will! I WILL!" Her hands reached up and pressed against Gilda's chest. "LET ME GO!" Magic surged through Sunset's arms all the way to her palms, catching the attention of both Gilda and Pinkie. Her hands glowed a fierce purple and cast a powerful shockwave that knocked Gilda off her feet and sent her flying into the road. Skidding and rolling to a halt, she held onto her collar and stumbled to a hand and knee.
"GILDA! WATCH OUT!" Pinkie shrieked. Before Gilda could respond, lights flashed in her vision, and the piercing sound of tyres screeching against the wet tarmac road filled her ears. At that moment, time seemed to pause for her, and the split-second she had to absorb her situation turned into years that flashed past her eyes, the years she would never see. Much to her surprise however, the impact she expected in that moment came from another direction. Gilda felt her entire body lift off the road and fly off onto the pavement on the opposite side of the road, accompanied by a large pink blur grappling around her abdomen.
As the sense of time had returned to normal, Gilda leaned back against the wall of the building behind her and watched in fright as the car continued to screech past and eventually start driving off, letting off a few aggressive honks of its horn. She clutched her chest and breathed rapidly, fearful her heart was about to burst through her rib cage the way it was pounding. Pinkie Pie leaned up beside her, gathering her breath out of relief for the older teen's safety.
"Are you okay?!" she asked, leaving Gilda silent as everything was still soaking into her comprehension. She then looked over to Sunset who stood on the other side of the road, horror in her expression, and her body shaking viciously. She steadily took a couple of steps back, then twisted around quickly and ran down the street, ignoring the pain in her stomach caused by the strain.
"Sunny! Wait!" Pinkie called out to her, but all in vain. Sunset was gone.

//-------------------------------------------------------//
                      Chapter 5: Lost                      
//-------------------------------------------------------//
Chapter 5: Lost
The bell of Canterlot High rang to signal the end of the first half of the day. Students flooded the halls to reach either the cafeteria or the school grounds. For them, it was a time to relax, but for the Humane Five, the real work was about to begin. Applejack walked down the stone steps outside the doors of the school and made her way towards their meeting point by the oak tree. With last night's storm, many of the leaves had blown off, leaving the tree a somewhat ugly appearance more fitting for halloween, something that was still another month away. The mud around the trunk was soft and wet, a trivial thing to Applejack who merely shrugged with a smile and stepped through it in her iconic cowgirl boots and leaned against the damp bark with her hands tucked into the pockets of her skirt.
She kept a mental note of the time it took before any of the others had arrived. Fluttershy was the first to appear, with Rainbow Dash a close second. Neither Rarity or Pinkie Pie were anywhere to be seen.
"Where's Rarity and Pinkie?" Applejack asked. Both Fluttershy and Rainbow shrugged in unison, their puzzled expressions almost a perfect match. Applejack sighed and rubbed her right temple. "Great. How're we supposed t' help Sunset if no one's gonna take this seriously?" Fluttershy stared at her with concern.
"Um, Applejack? Are you okay...?"
"J... yeah, Ah'm fine, Fluttershy. Just a li'l concerned." she replied with a heavy duty sigh. Rainbow folded her arms and raised an eyebrow.
"Since when are you so tense? You're like when Rarity's having one of those dumb fashion shows or whatever." she remarked with a dismissive wave of her hand. Applejack's shoulders fell limp, and her head hung down ever so slightly.
"Sorry, ya'll. It's just Sunset wasn't in math class this mornin', and no one's seen her at all."
"No one?" Fluttershy asked.
"No. Either of you happened t' catch her?" Applejack looked up at the both of them, Fluttershy merely shaking her head, and Rainbow shrugging once again. "Dang. Where the heck is she?"
"Did you bother to ask Pinkie? I thought they were having a play date or something." Rainbow remarked.
"I haven't seen her yet, and she ain't answerin' her phone."
"I saw her earlier, but she seemed really distracted. I didn't want to be a bother..." Fluttershy spoke up. Rainbow let out an empathetic sigh and reached out to gentle grasp her shoulder.
"It's alright, Flutters. We'll talk to her together." she reassured, and Fluttershy smiled in response. Applejack started between them and leaned forward off the bark of the oak tree.
"Speak of the devil." she spoke out with a nod ahead of her. Both Rainbow and Fluttershy looked behind themselves and spotted Pinkie Pie idly dragging her feet across the wet grass towards the tree, her eyes drifting across the ground beneath her in a lidded stare.
"Whoa, Pinkie! What's with you? Your hair's all... less poofy than usual." Rainbow inquired. Pinkie snapped out of her daze and immediately looked up at Rainbow Dash.
"Huh? Oh! Nonono! I'm okay! Hey, girls!" she responded with a frantic wave and a big grin on her face. Rainbow and Fluttershy shared a puzzled look, while Applejack frowned and took a step through the soft mud to stand between them and Pinkie Pie.
"Pinkie, what's going on? You never not answer your phone when we call ya." she said, arms folded with authority in her posture. Pinkie blinked rapidly and began to bite on her lower lip, her eyes slashing left and right.
"On? Nothing's on! Except maybe my oven! I should go check! Nothing screams emergency like leaving your oven on all day while you're out!" she responded with a great deal of energy and an exaggerated undercut to the side with a pointed finger to the sky. She suddenly twirled around and tried to flee, but her large mound of hair proved to be her undoing as Applejack grasped onto it and simply stood in place, keeping Pinkie from escaping.
"Pinkie Pie attempted to flee, but it failed." Rainbow muttered with a grin, leaving Fluttershy lost. Rainbow noticed her confusion and shrugged her arms. "Nevermind." she said with a roll of her eyes.
"Okay, what's going on, Pinkie Pie?" Applejack forced Pinkie to face them and let go of her, arms folded and her index finger tapping irritatingly on her arm. Pinkie looked defeated and clutched onto her fringe, twirling the hook of her hair around her fingers in a fidget as her head sunk between her shoulders.
"It's... um..." she muttered for a moment, then sighed in submission, "okay, I'll tell you. Just PROOOOOMISE you won't tell anyone else!"
"We promise, Pinkie Pie."
"Pinkie promise?"
"Heh. Yeah, Pinkie. We pinkie promise." Applejack answered, making a cross mark over her chest and miming sticking something in her eye. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy copied her just barely out of sync. The tension in Pinkie's shoulders seemed to loosen up a little as they sunk a couple of inches, and she exhaled slowly.
"Alright, it goes like this..." She took a deep breath. "Sunny and I were having milkshakes and we were having a really fun time she was telling me all these fun things she did in Equestria and we just kept drinking our milkshakes till we were on our way home but then we were stopped by Gilda who was still real angry and she was calling us names but Sunny got angry too and used that magic thingy she keeps doing that went BOOM WHOOSH and Gilda fell into the road and nearly got hit by a car but I dove out there and pulled her away really quickly like a super speedy hedgehog ZOOM and then Sunny ran away.
"The end!" she finished with a grin on her face. Applejack appeared somewhat bewildered, while Rainbow Dash's sight was directed to the clouds, mumbling Pinkie's explanation to herself, and Fluttershy's body went limp from dizziness.
"Wait, Gilda? Is she alright?!" Rainbow ran up to Pinkie and grabbed her by her arms, her face a mere inch away.
"She's okay, Dashie! A little shaken up, but I made sure she was a hundred and one percent before I left her!" Pinkie explained, comforting Rainbow with a playful rub through her multicoloured hair. Rainbow sighed with relief and let go of her, backing up next to Applejack.
"So where's Sunset now?" Applejack inquired. Pinkie answered with a shrug.
"I was hoping you girls knew! I've been so worried about her all night, I could hardly sleep!"
"And yet you have enough energy to tell a story on fast forward." Applejack thought to herself. Fluttershy walked up beside her and looked back and forth between the two.
"What are we going to do?" she asked.
"I reckon we oughta grab Rarity, wherever the heck she is, and go find Sunset after school." Applejack replied.
"I dunno. She did almost kill Gilda." Rainbow muttered in restrained anger, folding her arms, and staring off to the side. Applejack turned to Rainbow with her hands on her hips.
"What're you sayin'? Y'think she did it on purpose?" Applejack stared at Rainbow with a frown, her tone of voice slightly venomous. Rainbow held her hands up defensively.
"Of course not! But if she's being all spontaneous with that magic, I'm not sure I wanna be near her."
"She didn't mean it, Dashie. She was having a good time with me! And there weren't any sparks or BOOMS at all!" Pinkie spoke. Rainbow sighed and rolled her eyes.
"I'm just saying, she's not exactly safe to be around at the moment."
"She's our friend, Rainbow. We can't just leave her on her own." Applejack stated.
"Urgh, fine. But don't say I didn't warn you if we start flying through walls or something!"
******
Despite the vicious storm overnight, the dark clouds were beginning to spread too thin to block out the sun for long. Ink-blotch shaped holes revealed the bright blue sky they were denying everyone below, and every passing hour they continued to grow wider. It was as good a time as any for anyone without other commitments to leave their homes to prepare for the upcoming Halloween festivities, picking up decorations, costumes, and delicacies befitting the occasion. For Sunset Shimmer, however, her thoughts were elsewhere.
In a dark corner of her bedroom, Sunset sat at her worn down wooden desk with an open book before her. She flicked through the pages at a rapid pace, her eyes darting left and right, taking in what brief snippets of information she could read before moving on to the next. She had already skimmed more than half of the pages, but her pace didn't slow down.
"Nothing... nothing! NOTHING! Ten years studying under Princess Celestia, and not ONE bit of information about this?!" The frustration built up in Sunset to the point she slammed the book shut and threw it across the room. Her aim was obviously not taken into account, because the book ended up breaking through one of the poorly boarded up holes in the wall, and fell inside out of view. This was enough to send a shock through Sunset.
"Gah! No no no no!" She quickly leapt out of her chair and rushed over to the wall, trying to get a good look inside. "Nooooo! C'mon, where is it?!" Sunset's panic overtook her thoughts, and she quickly dove her hand inside without a care for what might be inside. She kept reaching further, catching her hand on several broken pieces of wood and an onslaught of cobwebs. Sunset grimaced in disgust, but she kept digging deeper until the tips of her fingers graced the hard leather spine of her book.
"Oh, thank Celestia. Nnnngh!" She stretched as far as she could manage without breaking through the entire wall, barely coiling her fingers around the cover, and pulling carefully while desperately trying to mind the protrusions of wood surrounding it. Mercifully, she was allowed to retrieve her book without hindrance, and held it before her in relief. The cover appeared mostly undamaged, and protected the pages with its thick leather hide. It wasn't pristine, however. Two spots across the front had inch-long scratch marks, and one of the corners had bent out of place upon impact. As minor as they were, it was enough for Sunset to stare at it in sadness.
"Dammit..." she said, trying to rub the scratch marks away, but to no avail. Tears built up at the corners of her eyes and she clung the book to her chest tightly. "I didn't mean to..."
******
"Happy birthday, Sunset Shimmer." Celestia greeted the young Sunset with a smile, and a yellow paper-wrapped gift with a crimson ribbon tied into a bow around it. She hovered the present to the little unicorn who bounced with glee, grabbing onto it with her hooves.
"Wow! Thank you, Princess! What is it?" she asked, looking over it with obsessive curiosity. Celestia merely chuckled.
"You will have to open it to find out." she teased. Sunset grinned with tremendous energy and used her magic to quickly untie the bow and tear away at the wrapping. In her hooves lay a brown hardback leather book with two gold strips across the top and bottom, and her own cutie mark imprinted into the cover. The young filly sat in place, speechless, her mouth agape.
"My own journal...?" Her eyes sparkled with intensity. Celestia nodded and tapped the cover with her hoof.
"This is a special journal, Sunset Shimmer. You may use it in your studies to take notes and conduct research, but its true purpose is so I am never out of your reach. Should you have any questions, or you need somepony to talk to, simply write on the pages, and I will know."
"Wow... and you're giving this to me?"
"Of course. It is your birthday after all." she replied in a warm tone. Sunset smiled and wrapped her hooves around Celestia's leg, clinging tightly against her.
"Thank you, Princess! I promise I'll take good care of it!" Celestia held a hoof around Sunset with gentle affection and smiled softly.
"I know you will, my faithful student."
******
Sunset sat at her desk again, staring at the damage she had done in woe. Her thumb continued to graze against the scratch, a vain effort in hope it would magically disappear.
"It's times like this I wish I still had my old magic." she thought, recollecting her days under Celestia's tutelage. Absent-mindedly, Sunset began to flick through all the pages from the beginning. Every page was filled with long lists of research notes and personal reminders, but at the start, there was always at least three random doodles to fill in the gaps. They were all cartoonish, and ranged between self-portraits of Sunset being a majestic princess to Celestia playing with her wherever she went. As the pages continued, the doodles became less frequent. There was about an inch worth of pages she passed before the drawings finally stopped, as did Sunset's skimming through her notes. She silently stared at her book, an air of despondency surrounding her.
"I used to have so much fun learning from the Princess. What happened to those days?" Sunset clutched her hands tight, and lost her focus as her vision blurred with the sting of tears building up around her eyes. Drops fell onto the thick paper below, leaving dark water marks that began to smudge the ink. Sunset quickly snapped out of her daze and closed the book, sliding it to the side, and leaning on her elbows, gripping the temples of her head under her hair.
"Gah! What's wrong with me?! Snap out of it, Sunset!" she yelled, sitting up right and sending a hard slap against her cheek. The pain roared through her face and sent tears of agony to her eyes this time. A deep red hand print was left across her cheek, and she began to rub the pain away, grumbling.
"Okay, that was stupid."
******
The school bell rang for the last time of the day, signalling the end of the school period to the students. While the rest of the students spread out across the school grounds away from the entrance, the Humane Five hung around near the statue.
"A car? Goodness! Is she alright?!" Rarity suddenly asked. Pinkie Pie nodded and flicked her fingers through the little hook-shaped fringe hovering over her eyes.
"Yeah, she's okay. But I think it's best Sunny kinda maybe tries to avoid her."
"And no one has seen her?"
"That's why we're gonna try look for her now. Chances are she's probably at home." Applejack replied. Rarity pondered for a minute with a finger to her chin and her other hand under her elbow.
"Do we even know where she lives?" she inquired. The girls all exchanged clueless looks, a mix of shrugs and double-hand raises. Rainbow gave a soft hum at the back of her throat, rubbing her chin.
"No, but I bet I know who does." she replied with a smirk. All the other girls stared at her in curiosity.
******
"You want to know what?" Flash Sentry asked in surprise.
"Where she lives! C'mon, you carpooled her all the time. You must know where she lives!" Rainbow pointed out with hands on her hips, a careful inquisitive look in her eyes. Flash was clearly unnerved by the question, attempting to avert his gaze, only to be brought back with a snap of Rainbow's fingers before his face. "Hey! Earth to Flash?"
"Sorry! It's just a little spontaneous. Why do you want to know?"
"Sunset wasn't in school today, and we're a little worried..." Fluttershy claimed. Flash Sentry rubbed the back of his head and sighed, staring off to the side.
"Yeah, I kinda noticed. Thing is, whenever she's off, it was usually because she wanted to be alone. I'm not sure going to see her is the best thing. I found that out the hard way." he said with a chuckle, rubbing his side sub-consciously. The girls weren't smiling, however.
"Yeah, well, this is really important, Flash. We can't just ignore it." Applejack stated. Flash saw the concern and determination in each of their eyes and tensed up.
"She'll probably kill me if I tell you where." he guessed out loud in a nervous sweat.
"Let us worry about that, Flash. C'mon, it's for her sake."
"... Alright. Alright, I'll tell you." Flash surrendered with his head and shoulders limply hanging. "She lives at..."
******
"This can't be right." Rarity muttered as she took in the awful conditions of the run-down bungalow. All five friends stood on the street before the yard, overgrown with grass and weeds. To anyone else, this place seemed abandoned, or at least filled with homeless squatters. Pinkie Pie shielded her eyes from the setting sunlight glaring over the rooftop ahead of them, squinting for a less blinding view.
"I wonder if this is why." she muttered.
"Why what?" Rainbow asked.
"Why she didn't want me tagging along last night."
"But why would the poor dear stay in such a disgusting place like this?" Rarity pondered out loud. The girls fell silent and worked on their deductions in silent, arms folded, and eyes scanning across the environment. Fluttershy scratched her cheek gently and glazed her eyes over the darkening sky.
"Well... she is from Equestria, right? Like Twilight?" she spoke, attracting the attention of the other girls, "Twilight didn't have anywhere to stay, so... maybe Sunset is the same?"
"But she showed up three years ago! Doesn't that mean she's been alone like this the entire time?" Rainbow asked, piecing it together. The girls looked between each other in concern, but Pinkie frowned. She immediately sprung from the pavement and bounced down the path to Sunset's front door, raising her clenched hand.
"Pinkie, wait!" Applejack called, "Maybe we should think first. We didn't know she was struggling like this."
"There's nothing to think about, AJ! Sunny's in a pickle, and we gotta help! It's what friends do!" Pinkie replied, an expression full of determination, and her body standing proud and firm. She quickly knocked to the Shave and a Haircut beat and stood back, bouncing on her heels. The other girls approached the front door with Pinkie and waited anxiously, Fluttershy sticking to the back furthest from Sunset's possible outburst. Half a minute had passed, but there was no commotion on the other side of the door, or any indication they were heard. Pinkie cocked her head and knocked the same tune again, folding her arms. Rainbow rolled her eyes and walked in front of one of the dirty broken windows, cleaning off some dirt with her arm and peeking inside.
"I can't see anyone... man, it looks like a crap heap in there." she observed.
"If she's not here, then where else could she be?" Rarity asked. Applejack rubbed the back of her head and looked from one side to the other of the bungalow, silent and confused.
"Good question..."
******
The park was a luxury Sunset never truly took advantage of. Despite its open space and local wildlife, she was more focused on the practicality of it in the past, and saw nothing to benefit from prancing around without a destination in mind. But things were different today. Sunset's entire world was shaken ever since the Fall Formal incident, and the consequences of her actions seem to be multiplying as the days progressed. For once, she could use some idle wandering in the soothing aura nature provided.
It had been an hour since she arrived, and the tension in her body still kept her shoulders locked high and her steps heavy and strict. For all her attempts to relax, Sunset was still where she started.
"C'mon, dammit. Just ease already! I can't sleep like this!" she thought with an impatient clench of her teeth behind tense lips. There were heavy shadows under her eyes, and the imprint on her cheek had disappeared, a small dark patch taking its place. Sunset grumbled in annoyance and continued marching down the path, her quick pace signalling strangers ahead of her to quickly move lest they get run over. At least that, Sunset could breathe a little easier about. Less people knew about her becoming a she-demon outside of school, and the more who avoided her rather than picked a fight, the better off she was.
Fifteen minutes had passed and Sunset  gave up her warpath, showing mercy on her aching feet by taking a moment to rest on a park bench under a lit street lamp. For a moment, things seemed a little calmer for her now that she was a little distracted by the pain. She removed one of her boots and massaged her foot, a grimaced look on her face.
"The high and mighty Sunset Shimmer... reduced to this. How wonderful." she grumbled to herself, pinching at her toes to squeeze out any excess pain left over. She pulled her boot back on and slumped against the back rest of the bench, her head hanging over her shoulders, and her eyes staring up at the dark blue sky, spotting a couple of starts breaking through the sun's dimming light. "... Why does that annoy me so much?" she pondered.
"You'd be surprised how the sub-conscious mind can work against you." A shock ran through Sunset's spine, springing her upright and twisting her head left and right until she spotted a girl standing a few feet down the path on the opposite side of the street lamp. The glow of the light made it difficult for her to see, but Sunset could tell she was at least her age. She stood to her feet and frowned, hands clenched and holding firm by her sides.
"Who the hell are you?" she demanded.
"A student from Canterlot High, just like you." the mystery girl answered, her hands tucked in the pockets of her sweater. "Sorry if I startled you, I just came to say hi." Sunset kept her glare on the stranger. If she was another student, it was pretty easy to deduce where this conversation was going.
"I'm sure you did. Excuse me." She turned on her feet and walked in the opposite direction, but the student wasn't letting go so easily.
"Hey, what's the rush? Did I say something wrong?"
"I know what you're here for. The big bad Sunset Shimmer all by her lonesome in the middle of the park! Easy pickings, right?" Sunset replied in contempt, keeping up her pace to escape from the inevitable.
"Oooh, I get it. You think I'm here to bully you! That whole Fall Formal thing really left you with a bad rep, huh?" She continued to provoke a conversation, be it good or bad. Sunset refused to stop, though she could hear the stranger's voice still plain as day.
"Yeah, bad rep. Now beat it!" she spat.
"Oh please, I'm not here about that." the girl chuckled, "I'm here because I know what you are, exile." That one word was like the emergency brakes on Sunset's legs. She came to a halt so suddenly, she nearly stumbled. Her eyes stretched wide, and she head slowly turned around, staring in alarm at the mystery girl.
"Wha... what did you say?" Sunset's voice croaked. The girl giggled and brushed the blue highlight from her eyes back into her black bangs.
"My name is Eris Storm, and I have been looking for you for a long time, Equestrian."