A Thunder On Sunset

Pain.

Pure and simple pain.

It was the only thing that the once-unicorn named Sunset Shimmer could feel. She has been cutting herself

Since the Anon-a-Miss incident. All her friends turned back from her, and everything that she ever learned about friendship was now useless.

"Well, fuck friendship! Sunset though as she craved the knife on her own flesh once again. While she did so, she felt something liquid dripping out of her hurt forearm.

Blood.

Pure and simple blood.

Sunset smiled at the sensation of this liquid flowing through her skin, making direct contact with her flesh. The former unicorn smiled and licked the red liquid from her arm. She has been cutting herself for about twenty five minutes now. Sunset got up using her less hurt arm and stared at her own figure at the mirror. She looked at her reflection's eyes, staring deeply at them.

"What did I ever do wrong? The former Equestrian though.

Since the whole mess has begun, it became days...

From days to weeks...

And from weeks to months.

Yes, she has been doing this for three months now. Some little bucker posted stupid embarrassing photos and videos of everyone at CHS and blamed Sunset on it. Why? No reasons. Since then, Sunset has been alone. No one ever talked to her. Not that before this mess, she was any better. But at least, before this, she had her friends. And now, they're gone too. Sunset stared for long seconds at her eyes reflection, as tears started forming in her eyes. And the only thing she could think of was sadness. Well... Not exactly. Sadness, vengeance, rage, depression... Those were things that wouldn't stop flowing through her mind. Sunset felt the hot tears burn her cheeks, as she wiped them out and went back to bed. Cutting was something that Sunset did to prevent her from nightmares she had lately. Why? Because it worked, somehow. She didn't bothered to find out how it did, as long as it helps her keep sleeping without problems. Sunset laid on her bed, getting pretty much tangled in the sheets. But she didn't care.

She didn't care at all.

Why she needed to care, anyways?

Friendship was something bad.

It ruined her... It ruined everything she once had, and it led her apart from her so called friends. Well... At least she still got Storm Strike. Her one and only friend. The only person whom she was sure that she could put her trust in.

Sunset sighed and rolled on her side once again, not having much of a choice. It's though sleeping on such a tiny bed. But at this point, Sunset was so tired that once her head made contact with the pillow again, she saw blurriness taking over...

And fell asleep.

And the next morning came up.

Storm Strike got up as cheerfully as she always does during the morning. Her parents were out for some fancy business trip, and due to school business, Strike couldn't go along with them.

School.

That one word echoed through the girl's skull, and just as suddenly as her smile appeared, it became a frown. Everytime that Strike reminded herself from school, she would remember the girl named Sunset Shimmer. Is not that she felt afraid of going to school because of the bacon-hair girl. No ways! One of Strike's major motivation to go to school was this girl. Even because she was Sunset's only friend. she felt pity because of the girl's condition. Something deep inside her viscera told her that this girl was innocent about that whole Anon-a-Something incident. But somehow, Strike felt bad that her major motivation to go to school was having pitty at someone. It just doesn't feel right. Strike shrugged it off and a smile spread on her face again, as she poured cereal and milk on her bowl. After finishing her breakfast, Storm Strike dressed up on her usual uniform, as she looked happily at herself at the mirror. Her uniform was pretty much a simple dark purple skirt with red borders on it and the mark of an burning cloud with and violet thunder (which she find odd, but cool), and an color matching shirt, with dark purple as main coloration and red borders on the arms. She looked deep at her own dark blue eyes, and at her own midnight-black skin and her messy and long black hair with some red strokes crazily shared on it. She giggled at her own sight and grabbed her backpack, hurrying up to get the bus. After all, she didn't wanted to lose her class.

Yeah... The class... The girl thought to herself.

There was nothing more hateful than having to attend to CHS, on Sunset's opinion. Indeed, she was planning to leave as soon as she could, but something just kept her there. Maybe she wanted to stay as close as she could from the portal. If things go harder on her, there is always another alternative, then. Sunset sighed and headed to her first class, which she unfortunately shared with Rainbow Dash. It was almost unbearable having to feel such an deadly glance from someone who you trusted once. Almost. Sunset Shimmer already had been through worse than just looks... Right...?

That's what the former unicorn expected. It was a false hope that she created to be a bit more bearable being on this world. After all, what is it having a few death promises thrown at you by looks compared to face Celestia's wraith itself?

By the end of this psychological torture, Sunset walked to her lockets, only to be shoved out of the way by someone, whom she almost immediately recognized as Applejack's big brother, Big Macintosh. Sunset winced a bit from the recent pain of the recent shove. She was already acquainted with it. The fiery headed girl headed to her closet and opened it, taking out a few books and shoving others inside it. Sunset looked down as she felt tears coming up again, but won the fight against them.

"Be strong, Shimmer. Only a few more months," the girl murmured to herself.

"Hi there, weirdo, how're ya doing!"

Sunset heard a female talk to her in a mocking voice and walk past her, slapping the back of her head. By this point, Sunset could bet her head that she smelled some steam coming out of herself.

"Hey, Sunny!" An cheerful voice greeted Sunset.

"Oh. Hi there, Strike," Sunset replied dryly. Strike sighed deeply at this.

"Sunny, I know you have all the rights for being upset about the whole Anon-a... Anon-a..." Strike tried her best to remember the last name.

Sunset looked down and slammed the doors of her closet close,

"Anon-a-Miss," Sunset helped up her friend, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, that," Strike smiled.

"But don't you think it's time to move on?" Strike asked.

"I know, Strike. I'm just upset because of a few dreams, that's all. I'm already cured from Anon-a-Miss," Sunset said.

"Yeaaaaaa... Anyway, talk later! Gotta run, bye!" Storm Striker said as she trailled off, running for her next class.

And finally, the end of the class. Sunset always spent a little more time helping out some teachers that could be in need of help to organize bookshelves, hand streamers or just take a bunny out of an high place. But now, she had no reason for this. She wanted to move on and go home. The once-unicorn stopped near an bus stop, waiting for her passage for freedom. All she wanted right now was to do her homework and sleep. Maybe for days... Weeks... Months... Years... Maybe forever. No one would care, so why not? However, Sunset's thoughts were interrupted when she felt herself being on grip of someone else. A male, judging by the force and by the arm construction, which she was able  to see when he wrapped his arms around her neck. Sunset's bus came by view, but she was not able to reach it. Damn, she wasn't even able to breath properly! After her only transport home was gone, Sunset felt the boy's grip loosen from her neck, as she fell on her knees and gasped for air. The bacon hair girl heard an male chuckle, as the former unicorn went back on her feet.

"What the fuck is your problem?!" She growled at the boy whom she recognized as Flash Sentry.

"Why, doesn't the little she-demon have claws?"  He asked, earning an growl from Sunset.

"Fuck off, Flash!" Sunset screamed at the top of her lungs. If there was something that would hurt her forever was being called a she-demon. And only one person wouldn't do that to Sunset. It was a girl named Storm Strike. She was the most sweet person on the school, and was  actually polite to her. Even before the whole Anon-a-Miss thing start, Sunset kept an eye on this girl, even before her reformation. It was surprising how not even the worst rumors about her could bring down her happiness and somehow... A bit of naïveté.

That's when Sunset's thoughts about the girl were interrupted by something flat hitting hard on her left cheek. Pain suddenly cursed through Sunset's face, combining with an burning sensation to the same side. She just had been slapped. And hard.

"You show me some respect, whore! Just because one idiot believes in you, doesn't mean that you're in position to tell anyone to "fuck off", heard me?!" He barked at the girl's face. Sunset suddenly felt something hot cover her cheeks, as her vision got blurry. She was starting to cry. Flash grinned in an devilish way and pushed Sunset against the concrete, and she did not had the luck to protect her on head, making her pass out cold.

Sunset Shimmer started waking up from what happened previously. She sighed and sobbed at her current situation. She hated this world, she hated her "friends" and she hated simply everything included in these packages. She got herself up and started running to the direction of her home, while whipping away her own tears and blood that splattered on her face due to the fall. The former unicorn wasn't one to memorize things, do she was totally lost on her way home. The cold was almost unbearable, due to the fact that she had no winter clothing, and, well... SNOW... It isn't the warmest thing out there... So Sunset decided to walk on an quick pace, carefully enough to don't slide in the ice and fall again on concrete. While the Equestrian did her best to warm herself by shrugging her hands at her arms and keep herself together, one hooded shadow in particular seemed to be following her. The Equestrian walked a bit more quickly, as the one figure seemed to accompany her pace. Sunset started running and the shadow did as well, pinning her down against an alley's wall. The figure covered Sunset's mouth and removed it's hood, just to reveal Flash Sentry himself again.

"Why, what would such an lovely lady be doing here at this time?" He smirked in an twisted and evil way. And it scared Sunset, as said girl just winced.

"You know, you should answer ME! WHEN I! TALK! TO YOU!" He punched Sunset's stomach for each pause.

Sunset just whined at the pain and tried to kick him, but he used his own leg to hold hers firmly. Flash laughed and showed up an switchblade. Sunset's eyes widened. He could do whatever he wanted to her. No one would ever hear her. His smile went even wider even he sensed her fear of him.

"You know, Sunny, there's actually one thing I always wanted to do," He said as he turned Sunset's front against the wall. Sunset joined all the air in her lungs and screamed as loud as she could.

"HELP ME!! SOMEPONY, HELP ME!!! The girl halfway cried. As Flash pounded her against the wall, something grabbed the back of his head and dragged him away from the shocked fiery girl. It was another hooded figure, bit this time, one could tell that they had female features. As Sunset slipped down the wall she was pinned against not in long ago by now, the shadow punched Flash right to his stomach, sending him to his knees, as she kicked his face down, sending him out cold. The shadow turned it's position to Sunset, who grabbed an random brick and aimed for the standing shadow.

"Whoa, whoa! Calm down... It's okay... Don't worry...'' The shadowy girl told Sunset, as for her voice sounded strangely familiar.  The shadowy girl kneeled down to Sunset's eye level and removed her own hood. As she did so, Sunset couldn't help it but curl up upon her gaze.

"Shhhhhhh..." Storm Strike calmly hushed Sunset's shock state. "It's okay..." She whispered to Sunset.

"Th- tha- ank you... Thank you..."' Sunset whispered repeatedly while crying.

"It's OK now, Shimmy... C'mon, I'm taking you to sleep at my house."

"Thanks... H-he didn't h-hu-hurt me badly..."

Strike's heart fell for this.

"Aww, Shimmy..." The messed-hair girl said, while comforting the former unicorn, gently stroking her wavy hair. Strike kept doing so, enjoying how soft it was... How nicely it seemed and smelled... And how cute Sunset looked. Said girl looked up at her friends, showing a few bruises at her face, due to how hard she got slapped before. As Strike started patting Sunset's forearm, she slowly started taking Sunset jacket's sleeve up, resulting in the Equestrian almost immediately shove the dark skinned girl's hand away and push the sleeves down again.

"What are you doing?!" Sunset barked.

"I-I'm sorry, Sunset. But... I know you cut... So please... Let me see... I wanna help you." Storm Strike replied in a meek voice.

"Listen, Strike... You can't help me... I'm sorry... I really am... But some scars can't be healed." Sunset said, turning away her gaze from the girl's. Her beautiful gaze. Sunset looked down, as she felt something embrace her... It felt different... It felt more real... Maybe because only now the shock of almost being rapped wore off.

Storm Strike was hugging her.

And it felt so good...

Sunset could feel Strike's breathing and heart beats. Her warmth and everything else... Yes, Sunset could feel everything. Strike wrapped her arms around Sunset, still stroking her hair, like it was the fur of the most important animal on the world. Like it was sacred. Sunset enjoyed such sensation... It has been an long time since she felt something like this. Back at Equestria, Sunset would be always hugged by her parents. But this was different... Strike wasn't her mom... Just her closest friend at the moment. Sunset started sobbing at the girl's shoulder, hugging her back. But as soon as she noticed what was happening, the forever unicorn shoved her way out of the pleasant sensation. Literally.

"Why are you so kind to me...? What did I do to deserve your pity?! Why are you helping me?!" Sunset yelled, feeling somehow frustrated for not understanding the girl's feelings. Suddenly, Strike's frown became the most sweet smile that Sunset ever saw. The most cute blushing Sunset ever saw. The most adorable thing Sunset has ever seen in her whole life. She wanted to scoop over to the girl again and hug her. Sunset blushed a bit at the thought, though.

"Because..." The girl started, blushing even harder, as her smile disappeared.

"Well?" The fiery hair girl asked.

"Because..." The girl seemed pretty much lost. And within a few seconds, so was Sunset. She was once again feeling the warmth of the girl, but she felt that the girl's hand was sweetly wrapped around her waist, as Strike's other hand was wrapped around Sunset's torso. The Equestrian also felt the warmth of the girl's lips and the burning blush on her cheeks, as Sunset finally melted away and kissed Strike back. Both girls heartbeats were like war drums, as the girls pulled away from each other's kiss, but still locked in an embrace.

"Because I love you, Sunset..." Strike finally did it, her cheeks burning like the very own hell.

Sunset smiled and kissed the girl's cheek gently. "I love you too, Strike," Sunset blushed as well.

Strike's smile beamed as she kissed Sunset's lips again. Neither of the girls really cared for the cold or the snow. They felt complete.

They needed nothing but each other's warmth and love.