A lesson in Friendship

"Please Sunset!" I whimpered fearfully, crouched against my locker in the Main Hall. "I don't have any lunch today and I'm really hungry!"

Up until now it had been a good day at Canterlot High. In Mathematics, I was called on to explain and solve a complex algebraic  pattern to the class. Then, in English, I received top marks on my 1000-word essay on the dangers of hazardous shipping (subtle joke!). I had just begun to enjoy my day, when just after 4th period I had just stopped by my locker to to put my equipment away. I was intending to head towards the cafeteria for a bite to eat, when I was suddenly tripped by a pair of feet and smacked my head on the locker door next to mine. My glasses had been knocked off my face and now I could only peer up  at a huge, shimmering figure, standing tall above me.

Sunset laughed in a girlish, yet somehow evil way.

"Oh Autumn! Somebody's been getting a little forgetful then, haven't they? You still owe me  your lunch money from last week for not stomping your scrawny butt! Now hand over the dough, NOW!"

I gazed around, desperately looking for someone to help me, but I could barely see my hand in front of my face, so I searched fruitlessly. As she moved towards me, I raised my hands in pathetic defense and shrunk against the locker, filled with hopelessness.

We both froze in surprise as a sudden sharp voice interrupted and I could hear a set of stiletto heels, clacking their way over.

"Sunset Shimmer! What on Earth do you think you're doing?" Came the stern voice and I became aware of another shadowy figure, standing before me.

"Vice-principal Luna!" Cried Sunset in shock and I sighed in relief.

"What is this student doing, cowed before you? Give this young man his glasses, right away!" the vice-principal commanded. Mercifully, Sunset complied, jamming them onto my face with perhaps more force than needed and I sighed in relief again as the midnight-tone of Luna's stern face came into focus. "Right, now Sunset, you are to head straight over to Professor Discord's room and assist him in cleaning up the room. I do believe that his last class were dissecting frogs brains and I'm sure he could use your help."

"Yes, vice-principal Luna" Sunset sulkily muttered. "I'm on my way." Pausing, she bent down towards me and I shuddered as she whispered menacingly in my ear. "You're dead!" and then she was off.

"Are you alright there, young man?" Luna asked me, as I got to my feet. "I say, I do believe that I haven't seen you around here before."

"Ah, no vice-principal Luna." I hastily replied and adjusted my glasses, straightening them up on my face. "I'm a transfer from the city school, Crystal Prep." I noticed that she frowned slightly at this.

"Well, I can safely say that you'll be of more use to us here, than at that infernal school!" She replied, pursing her lips and watching me. "Pray tell me, what is your name?"

"Autumn, vice-principal Luna." I replied, dusting off my coat and trousers. "Autumn Glow."

"Well, Autumn Glow, I hope that you stay clear of Miss Shimmer and lead a positive social and academic year at Canterlot this year."

She finished, and with that she was off.

Just, then the bell rang for last period rang, and gathering my thoughts, I opened my locker, grabbed my stuff, and looking around quickly, jogged off to class, feeling a ball of contentment rising within me.

My encounter with Sunset had faded from my thoughts when I finally walked out of cooking, pulling a lump of egg and flour from my hair and chuckling as I did so. During the class, some girl had snuck some firecrackers in her bag, and as we were mixing some ingredients for a random cake recipe, she let one off right next to a this really timid girl named Fluttershy, who screamed and dropped her mixing bowl upon the ground. As she staggered back, she knocked the fire cracker from the other girls hand and the still- sputtering fire cracker dropped straight towards the dropped mixing bowl, still full of uncooked ingredients. The thick goop literally exploded, covering half the class in a thick egg and flour mess. As I walked down the outdoor steps, I took up a short whistling tune as I headed out into the glorious sunshine.

I felt a sudden shove in the small of my back, and losing my balance, I fell headlong down the quartz steps onto the grass below. Picking myself painfully up, I noticed that everyone around me was staring behind me in horror. I turned and my heart almost failed, as I beheld Sunset standing on the top step, glaring at me with a stare that could curdle milk and then burn it into a thousand ashes.

She jumped down and grabbed me by the collar as I jumped up and attempted to make a run for it. "Autumn, you are going to pay for making me scrub frog brains from those desks!" She shrieked at me, dragging me behind her. I was left confused, as she appeared to be dragging me towards the Canterlot memorial statue, shaped like a horse because we are known by other schools as the Canterlot Wonder Colts. "W-where are you taking me?!" I cried, desperately trying to force myself free.

"I am taking you to a place that I left, a long time ago!" She replied. As we neared the statue, she stopped and let me go. It was then, I realize with horror, we were concealed from every bodies sight by a thick clumping of bushes.

"I want you out of this world, so I can focus on making it mine." She whispered, still watching the equestrian statue. "Only when I have made this world mine, will I advance upon Equestria, and when I do, I will make Princess Celestia pay for exiling me!" Suddenly turning towards me, she began shouting feverishly, advancing upon me and grabbing me by the collar again.  Listening to her babble, I became more and more alarmed. Who was this Princess Celestia and what was Equestria? I began to wonder if Sunset's mind had slipped.

"And when I am sitting upon the high throne in Canterlot, I will find you with my Alicorn Powers and I will destroy you!"

"I don't know what your talking about!" I yelled hastily, for she was now dragging me right to the statue. "P-please don't hurt me, I-i'll give you my lunch money, I swear!"

At this point, she cackled shrilly and I closed my eyes and began praying. " Oh Autumn, you'll soon understand all about exile!" She exclaimed and attempted to push me at the statue, but I began to struggle wildly, fearing for my life in the hands of this maniac. "Let me go!" I demanded, trying to push her backwards. "Let me go you crazy person! I don't want to go to your Eclestia, or whatever it is!"

I had almost succeeded in escaping her grasp, but my traitorous feet had stumbled upon a stray weed in the ground and I lost my footing. Sunset chuckled again and pushed me towards the statue. "Enjoy what limited time you have available dork, for I shall return and destroy you in all my glory!" Still laughing, she shoved me and I hit the side of the monument.

To my everlasting surprise, instead of impacting upon the solid, quartz wall, I fell through the wall, as if it was never there. I tried to pull myself out, but found that whatever this statue was, it was slowly sucking me in. In panic, I turned towards Sunset.

"Please help me!" I cried desperately, reaching a hand towards her. She merely grinned and pushed me in.