The Darkness Before Twilight

It was a new morning as the crisp Autumn air overtook the city. Sunset had woken up, showered, changed and went to Canterlot High. Sunset grabbed her breakfast and looked around for a group. Seeing them, she walked over to their table.

"Um, mind if I join you?" asked Sunset.

"Sure!" declared Pinkie.

"It ain't problem with me." said Applejack.

"Whatever." shrugged Rainbow.

"Fine with me darling." said Rarity.

"I guess it's okay." said Fluttershy.

Sunset sat down next with the five.

"So, how are you adjusting to our little school?" asked Rarity.

"Fine." answered Sunset.

"Oh! I still owe you a Welcome to Canterlot High Party!" cried Pinkie.

"That's quiet alright." replied Sunset.

"Some people don't like loud parties." noted Fluttershy.

Pinkie sighed accepting this.

"If ya need any help, look to us Sugarcube." said Applejack.

"Like I'll need help." thought Sunset.

The group finished eating with Sunset staying mostly quiet.

"Welp, we better get goin'." said Applejack.

The five got up.

"Um Rainbow, can we talk?" asked Sunset.

"Sure." answered Rainbow.

Rainbow sat down.

"I'll catch up." said Rainbow.

"See you darling." said Rarity.

The others left.

"What's up?" asked Rainbow.

"I was hoping to talk about Gilda." answered Rainbow.

"Don't tell me she was giving you crap again." sighed Rainbow.

"She dragged me into a closet was being rude." said Sunset.

"At least she wasn't violent." said Rainbow.

"Well..." began Sunset.

"Dammit." replied Rainbow frustrated.

"I don't want to make this a big deal." said Sunset.

"I'll talk to her." offered Rainbow.

"Please don't." replied Rainbow.

"Are you afraid she'll come after you?" asked Rainbow.

"Yeah." answered Sunset.

Rainbow rubbed her face.

"She wasn't always like this." noted Rainbow.

"Tell me more." requested Sunset.

"When I first met her Gilda was more on the shy side." revealed Rainbow.

"Like Fluttershy?" asked Sunset surprised.

"Yeah." confirmed Rainbow.

"I just can't pitcher it." said Sunset.

"Yeah. I can understand." shrugged Rainbow.

"So, what happened?" asked Sunset.

"I'm not totally sure." answered Rainbow.

"Fuck." thought Sunset annoyed.

Rainbow shrugged her shoulders.

"Sorry." shrugged Rainbow.

"That's fine." replied Sunset.

"It sucks Gilda got like this." said Rainbow.

Sunset rubbed her chin.

"Has anything embarrassing ever happened to her?" asked Sunset

Rainbow raised her eyebrow.

"Something like that could cause her to become more aggressive." said Sunset.

Rainbow thought about it.

"Nothing I can recall." answered Rainbow.

"Of course." muttered Sunset.

"Do you think she's hiding something?" asked Rainbow concerned.

"Could be." answered Sunset.

"Oh dammit." sighed Rainbow.

Rainbow Dash sadly shook her head.

"Gilda never talks about her emotions." noted Rainbow.

"Yeah. That seems like her." mumbled Sunset.

"Great, now I'm all worried and junk." sighed Rainbow.

"Not to mention being useless." thought Sunset.

"I can try and keep Gilda off your back." said Rainbow.

"How?" asked Sunset unset.

"I'll talk with her." answered Rainbow.

"Then she'll come for me." said Sunset uneasy.

"I won't use your name." promised Rainbow.

"Thanks." said Sunset, with a fake smile.

"No problem." shrugged Rainbow.

Suddenly, the bell rang.

"Well we gotta get going." noted Rainbow.

Rainbow got up and began walking away.

"That was worthless." sighed Sunset.

Sunset Shimmer returned to class and the hours dragged by. Finally, lunch came and Sunset was relieved. Sunset Shimmer stood in line and got her usual vegetarian meal. She then left and began headed for a table. Sunset noticed Pinkie waving over and pretended to head that way. Sunset then saw Flash who waved to her. Sunset gave a faux apologetic glance to Pinkie then sat down with Flash.

"So, how's your day going?" asked Flash nervously.

"Okay." answered Sunset.

Sunset took a bite of her food.

"What an idiot." thought Sunset.

"What's wrong?" asked Flash worried.

"I had an encounter with Gilda." answered Sunset.

"I know what that means." sighed Flash.

"I guess Gilda has a reputation for being...violent." guessed Sunset.

Flash winced at this.

"I've heard she gets physical." admitted Flash.

"A few punches." revealed Sunset.

"Sorry to hear that." said Flash sadly.

"Not surprising." shrugged Sunset.

"Did you tell anyone?" asked Flash.

"It wouldn't do any good." answered Sunset.

"If you're worried about people believing you then you're aren't alone." said Flash.

"I assumed I wasn't the first victim." admitted Sunset.

"In eighth grade, she was suspended almost as much as she was in class." replied Flash.

"Well, I might need your help." said Sunset.

"With what?" asked Flash.

"I want to talk to Snips and Snails." answered Sunset.

'Why?" asked Flash.

"Try and figure out what Trixie's problem is." answered Sunset.

"Why do you need me?" asked Flash.

"To make sure Trixie doesn't get in my way." answered Sunset.

Flash nodded his head.

"No problem." said Flash.

"Such a good puppet." thought Sunset.

Sunset walked off. The next classes dragged by even more as Sunset struggled to focus even more. Sunset Shimmer had no idea how she would get through this. Finally, the free period came and Sunset could not be more relieved. She and Flash walked looking for Trixie. Finally, she found her in the auditorium with Snips and Snails.

"Now, I just need to get Trixie distracted." said Sunset.

"No problem." replied Flash warmly.

Flash walked off as Sunset smirked.

"He makes it too easy." said Sunset.

Flash walked over.

"What can the Great and Powerful Trixie do for you?" asked Trixie.

"I was wondering if you could teach me some tricks." answered Flash.

"These are not mere tricks, they are prestidigitation." stated Trixie arrogantly.

"Okay. Teach me that." requested Flash.

"Trixie could do that." mused Trixie, "But what is in it for her?"

"I can pay you." offered Flash.

"That works." said Trixie.

"How about we go behind the stage...so nobody steals your moves." said Flash.

"Trixie agrees." replied Trixie.

The two went behind the stage leaving Snips and Snails.

"Um, what do we do now?" asked Snails.

"Don't know." answered Snips.

"Hey guys." said Sunset.

Sunset walked over.

"Hey Sunset." said Snips and Snails.

"I was just in the area and I decided to talk to you." said Sunset.

Snips and Snails shrugged accepting this.

"So, how did you met Trixie?" asked Sunset.

"We saw her performing in middle school and she was great." answered Snips.

"Yeah. We started doing what she said and got to hang around her." revealed Snips.

"Why am I not surprised." thought Sunset.

Sunset shook her head.

"What is Trixie like?" asked Sunset curiously.

"She's kinda bossy." answered Snails.

"But, it's totally awesome." added Snips.

"Has anything...interesting happened?" asked Sunset.

"Like what?" asked Snails dully.

"Anything notable. Like good or bad." answered Sunset.

"Why do you want to know?" asked Snips skeptically.

"Just curious." answered Sunset uneasy.

Sunset's eyes darted back and forth.

"Okay cool." replied Snips.

Sunset sighed in relief.

"There was that time her squirting flower squirted her in the face." revealed Snails.

"Or the used Trixie used her smoke bomb to escape and fell down stairs." added Snips.

"I was just leaving." said Sunset.

Sunset walked away and Flash caught up to her.

"That went well." said Sunset smiling.

"She was so mad." noted Snails.

"I thought her head would explode." confessed Snips.

"What is this?!" asked Trixie angrily.

Trixie marched over to Sunset.

"Trixie leaves for one second and you are fraternizing with another student!" snapped Trixie.

"I'm leaving." said Sunset.

Sunset and Flash left. Flash tried to apologize for not keeping Trixie away, but Sunset replied she got what she needed. The rest of the day went by a little quicker as Sunset planned her next course of action. Once school ended, she left and spent time with Flash and his place again. She then returned to the factory and found Jennifer.

"Hey." said Jennifer.

"Hello." replied Sunset smirking.

"You seem happier." noted Jennifer warmly.

"Today...was a better day." said Sunset pleased.

"Tell me." requested Jennifer.

"I tried to talk with a friend with that girl whose bullied me but, no no avail." said Sunset.

"Well, that's not good." mused Jennifer.

"No, but I talked with the two friends of that egomaniac and that was much better." continued Sunset.

"Please go on." requested Jennifer interested.

"I was able to get an idea of just who she really is." explained Sunset.

"And what are you going to do with that?" asked Jennifer interested.

Sunset Shimmer smiled.

"I'm going to take care of everything." answered Sunset.