Ghostly shimmer

The next morning Sunset shimmer was e last to climb onto the bus her class was taking to the automobile assembly plant for their class field trip, she spotted Vinyl and Octavia sitting just infront of Lyra and Bon Bon, Snips and Snails arguing in the back with Trixie, her arm in to cast under nurse Redheart's orders, trying to cover her ears as the two gave her a splitting headache, kindly Sunset gave her a set of earplugs she kept in her backpack for just such emergencies as she passed the silver haired girl and Trixie smiled, putting them in as quickly as possible as Sunset sat with her friends next to pinkie pie I the back, opposite where snips and snails were.

"Morning sunset." Pinkiepie said from next to her, Sunset looking back at her from the window.

"Oh hey Pinkie." She chuckled. "So you girls excited for the fieldtrip?"

"Sure are." Applejack nodded tipping her hat.

"You bet." Rainbow added.

"Ofcourse." Rarity said Fluttershy just nodding next to her.

"I was so us cited I couldn't even get to sleep last night!" Pinkie yelled excitedly.

"How is that different form any other day Pinkie?" Sunset joked and all six of them laughed. "I mean maybe you just couldn't sleep cuz you had too much sugar, have you girls seen what miss cotton candy here keeps in her fridge?"

"Oh my yes, Pinkie whatever do you need that much whipped cream for?" Rarity asked.

"That's for me to know and Sunset to find out." Pinkie said.

"Wha?" Sunset tilted her head in confusion, the others just giggled among themselves.

"Oh Pinkiepie your jokes are simply terrible sometimes." Rarity said waving her hand at Pinkie.

"Yeah like." Rainbowdash struggled to hold in her chuckles "like that one time, on AJ's birthday when you hahahaha oh god my sides hurt!"

"What?" Sunset shimmer asked looking back at Rainbowdash.

"N-no I ca-ha-han't haha, you tell em AJ!" Rainbowdash said gesturing to the farm girl sitting next to her.

Applejack rolled her eyes. "She dressed up in mah ganny smiths old saloon girl costume she wore for Halloween when she was mah age an we'll, plum fell of stage right ontop of me."

"Oh.. My, I remember that." Fluttershy said her face slightly pink with embarrassment.

"Oh yes, that was quite... Um... Awkward." Rarity said also blushing smiling nervously.

"Maaaaybe we shouldn't talk about it." Sunset shimmer said sharing the same nervous blush as Rarity. The five other girls nodded and after a little elbow nudging from AJ Rainbowdash finally stopped laughing. "So RD and AJ fill you two in on the plan for next week during summer vacation?" Sunset asked rarity and Fluttershy.

"Oh my yes it sounds delightful." Rarity said "I can't wait to see your new bike Sunset darling I'm sure you'll look."

"AWESOME!" Dash interrupted.

"Yes hmhmhm quite." Rarity said snickering a bit. "And I've personally handmade some designer swimsuits for all of us."

"Oh wow thanks Rarity." Sunset said. "You really didn't have to, I was just gonna buy one from the beach store when we got there."

"None sense darling." Rarity said. "I knew full well you didn't own a swimsuit therefore I took it upon myself to fashion you one, then once I started I couldn't stop, so I went with the flow and before I know it I'd created a whole line, six new swimsuits each one designed after one of us."

"Well shoot Rarity how do y'all manage to do that? Ah mean it's almost like y'all were born to do it."

"Oh I know." Rarity replied. "It's almost as if it just comes naturally." Sunset rolled her eyes giggling as she looked out the window at the passing landscape, if only they knew.

A few hours later they arrived at the factory assembly plant and all the students exited the bus, getting organised into pairs and standing in a line a instructed by the attendant that greeted them, Pinkie and Sunset stood at the back, Applejack tend Rainbowdash infront of them and finally Rarity and Fluttershy infront of them, at the front of the line it came no surprise to Sunset the four students she saw and how they were paired up.

Vinyl stood next to Octavia following close behind Lyra as she stood next to Bin Bon, they were all instructed to hold their tour buddy's hand for the duration so no one got lost.

This have the four the perfect excuse to hold hands without arising suspicions.

"If you'd like to follow me this way we'll start the tour." A man by the name of Flam said twisting his mustache in his hand with a. Friendly smile.

"Alright class stick together now." Miss Cherilee said as she lead the class with Mr Flam into the factory.

"Now this company wasn't always the esteemed business you know today." Mr Flam began as they walked through the foyer and down a hall, the walls if which were adorned with pictures and a few framed care parts, just small ones though such as hood ornaments and fancy side mirros. "This company was actually founded after a wealthy incester decided to indulge one of my brother's whacky inventions." Flam continued. "We started this company together, myself and my beloved brother Flim, god rest his soul." He removed his hat as they passed a bust of Flim, he looked exactly like Flam but without the mustache, a plaque underneath read. 'Lest we forget the creative little cook who started all this.'

"Oh my, mr Flam are you alright?" Miss Cherilee asked putting a hand on his shoulder.

"You're very kind miss but I'm fine, I made piece with my brothers passing long ago, but that's not why we're here no, we're here to revel in the wonders my brother's clever little creations went on to become, a few years ago when I suspect all of you were just little tots or twinkles in your mother's eyes my brother Flim was in his garage working on an old junker he'd dragged home form the junk yard." He said as he began to tell a story. Many of the students whispered to each other so as not to be rude but they weren't really paying attention either. "And that's how today the FlimFlam auto motives company became the titan of industry it is today."

The class stopped as they came to a large door with a warning dangerous equipment sign on it. "Truly amazing, quite the astounding piece of history isn't it class?" Miss Cherilee asked.

The class nodded each one smiling, all except for two students in hoodies Sunset was sure weren't behind her and Pinkie just a moment ago. "No kiddos we're about to enter the heart of the company, the assembly line, be careful and please for your own safety follow the red line painted on the floor." The class nodded and they proceeded it of large room, loud noises nearly defended them as they watched the large heavy machinery putting together a car piece by piece. Mr Flam didn't even say anything as he felt what the kids saw was explination enough for what went on in here, as they crossed a walkway that acted like a bridged over the assembly line, Sunset and Pinkie both felt a hand on their shoulders.

The students in the hoodies covered their mouths and ass the rest if the class continued on un-noticed, the hooded figures pulled Pinkie and Sunset apart and with Sunset watching one of them pushed Pinkie over the side, she dangled over the assembly line and screamed "HEEEELP!"

The figures ran letting go of Sunset shimmer who ran over to pinkie. "Hang on!" Sunset reached over the side for Pinkie but she couldn't quite reach. The rest of the class turned back as they heard Pinkie cry out again. "Don't worry Pinkie I got you, just hang on,"

"P-Pinkie promise?" She asked looking. Genipuinly scare.

"Pinkie promise." Sunset said as she reached for her.

"Oh my Mr Flam do something." Miss Cherilee said starting to panic.

"Shut down the assembly line!" Mr Flam called to a man in the operating room, her hurried to begin the shutdown sequence but it would take time. "You two come with me we need to get those girls out of there." He said pointing to two of his workers who followed him back tot  he bridged, Chierilee staying behind to watch the rest of the class.

"All... Most... There." Sunset said trying her hardest to reach down to Pinkie, but just as she was a hair's distance form her, Mr Flam grabbed her and pulled her back. "Huh?! Wait no! Let me go! She needs help!"

"Calm down now missy." Mr Flam said holding Sunset back as she watched the workers walk over to where Pinkie was still in danger. "Your friend'll be fine but we can't risk you getting hurt too."

One of the workers reached down, but as he did Pinkie lost her grip and fell down, the assembly line stopped... But it Was too late.

Sunset struggled out of Mr Flam's grip and ran to the side, looking over it to see Pinkie, covered in bruises and scratches a few of which were bleeding, she laid unconscious in the damaged roof of an incomplete car.

The world froze for a moment.. Sunset started tearing up as she slowly backed away from the side, she dropped to her knees hugging herself, whispering as she had a nervous breakdown. "No, no not now, not again, no no no no." She sobbed quietly, Mr Foam walking over to her slowly, putting a hand on her shoulder to comfort her as he knelt down beside her.

A few hours later, Sunset was sitting outside Pinkie s hospital room. A nurse walked out standing infront if her. "Hey." She said with a smile. "You ok?" Sunset nodded quietly wiping a tear from her eye. "Sh-she's awake now if you'd like to see her... Just don't be too energetic ok? She needs to take it easy."

"'Sniff' ok." Sunset said drying her eyes and standing up, slowly walking into Pinkiepie's hospital room.

She looked at the girl laying in the bed, an IV needle showing she was on morphine for the pain. Rarity was hugging Fluttershy to try keep her calm, Applejack sat beside Pinkie holding her hand. Pinkie smiled as she saw Sunset shimmer. "H... Hey there... Sunset." She said weakly.

Sunset gave a weak forced smile of her own, it was hard for her to try be happy,but she had to at least a little.. For Pinkie's sake. "Hey Pinkie." She said softly. "How are you holding up?"

"Oh... Pretty good." She said. "Doctors said... I'll be right as rain... In to few days.. Then I can go home."

"That's great." Sunset responded.

"We... Still on for... The beach?" Pinkie asked.

Sunset paused for a moment then said. "Yeah Pinkie... Though you may have to take it easy ok?"

"Ok." Pinkie said smiling.

Then AJ added. "Say uh, Sunset? Mind If'n ah talk to ya outside?"

"Um sure." Sunset said.

"Be right back Pinkie." Applejack said, and Rainbowdash who had been sitting in the corner took Applejack's place at Pinkie's side as AJ and Sunset stepped out of the hospital room. "Listen sugar cube." AJ said putting her hands on Sunset's shoulders. "Ah appreciate y'all bein a strong li'l soldier but, ya gotta know... The doc sez the fall completely paralysed Pinkie from the waist down... She's gonna be in a wheelchair when she gets out an.l. Chances are she ain't commin outta it any time son."

Sunset began to tear up again. "W-what?!" She whispered so Pinkie wouldn't hear.

"It don't mean we can't still try cheerin her up as you said back in there but... She ain't gonna be the same Pinkie anymore."

"Oh god... This is all my fault." Sunset said and AJ hugged her.

"No it ain't, now y'all know that's just applesauce." Applejack replied trying to calm her down. "Ya did the best ya could."

"Which still wasn't enough." Rainbowdash said stepping out of the room angrily.

"Dash now ya'll stop that ya hear? Poor girls in bits an pieces as it is." Applejack said in a. Mixture of harshness and tenderness as she was feeling conflicted between scolding Rainbow and comforting Sunset.

"Well it's true, and some things just don't add up in my head, Pinkie and Sunset were at the back of the line and I didn't see anyone else with them. So how did Pinkie even end up dangling over the edge?" Rainbowdash asked.

"She probably lost her balance an fell."

"Bullshit!" Rainbow yelled.

"Dash! Watch her language!" AJ snapped.

"You know what I think?!" Dash asked tears in her eyes a look of rage on her face. "I think Sunset pushed her over the edge!"

"W-wha?! N-no Rainbow I didn't I swear, I wouldn't!" Sunset replied

"Then how else could she have fell?! Huh?!" Rainbowdash asked getting uncomfortably close to Sunset shimmer poking her chest with her finger accusingly.

"Now Dash that's enough!" AJ said sternly.

"Th-there were these two girls in hoodies, I don't know where they came form b-but they!" Sunset tried to explain.

"Don't lie!" Rainbowdash yelled "I can't stand liars! Just get lost will ya?! Get out of here and don't come near Pinkie or any of us again!"

"Rainbow!" Applejack yelled.

"Hey guys." A weak little voice called out and all three of them stopped dead in there tracks, Applejack looking sad, Rainbowdash heartbroken, and Sunset about to come apart at the seems. It was Pinkie, Rarity held the door open for her so she could see them. "D-don't fight... It's not... Sunset's fault."

At that moment... SunsetShimmer couldn't take it anymore... SHE felt her heart shatter into a million tiny pieces and she turned and ran crying her eyes out. "Sunset!" Rarity called after her. "Wait."

"Ooo now y'all have really done it this time Rainbowdash." Applejack said harshly at her.

Sunset ran outside and kept running, it was raining. Cats and dogs so she was freezing and soaking wet by the time she'd gotten home, only to find someone had changed the locks. "Huh?" She dried her tears and looked up, a note was pinned to the door, she took it in her hands and read it. "Dear miss Shimmer, we regret to inform you that due to the warranted search of your house that upon discovery of several questionable substances you are hereby evicted, furthermore a hearing will be held in court in three days to determine your sanity and or to recognise and if needed prescribe physical and psychological treatment if you have indeed become heavily addicted to." She stopped reading banging her head on the door. "No no not now, I can't deal with this now." She said new tears forming I her eyes, she pulled aya hugging herself. "Where am I gonna sleep tonight?" She thought to herself for a moment. "Bon Bon." She said "she might be willing to let me stay, just for one night."

And wi that Sunset ran as fast as she could, the letter tucked away under her jacket to protect it from the rain as she bolted down the street towards Bon Bon's house.