Wounds Not Quite Healed

It was next Monday, and everyone was heading off to their first classes. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were walking down the hall together chatting about Sunset Shimmer’s strange behavior lately.

“Okay, we both agree that Sunset’s been acting very strange lately, right?” Rainbow asked.

“Yeah, she doesn’t seem like her usual self,” Pinkie agreed. “Well, her new usual self, not her old usual self. Her old self wasn’t the nicest person.”

“She seems so distant. She doesn’t hang out with us as much as she used to. Do you think she might be hiding something?”

“I think we should gather more information before we jump to conclusions.” Pinkie said in a slightly more serious tone. Both she and Dash paused for a moment remembering the Anon-a-Miss affair.

“Well, either way, I’m not going to feel comfortable until I find out what’s up with Sunset.”

“I can’t believe it!” said an upset and unpleasant voice. Both Pinkie and Rainbow turned to see Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon walking down the hall together and they didn’t look very happy. “A perfectly planned New Year’s party ruined!”

“Hold on, what’s this stuff about ruined parties?” Pinkie stopped and asked the younger girls. Pinkie had a strict rule against ruined parties.

“Over the weekend, my family and Silver Spoon’s took us to this really great restaurant to celebrate New Year’s. But then Sunset Shimmer and her new boyfriend came and ruined everything!” Diamond Tiara complained.

“Wait, what was that last part?” Rainbow asked curiously.

“Sunset has a new boyfriend?” Pinkie also asked.

“Yeah, unfortunately,” Diamond Tiara bitterly answered.

Both Rainbow and Pinkie stood in surprise for a moment, processing what they had just heard. Then big excited smiles formed on their faces. Suddenly, everything seemed to make sense to them now.

“Rainbow Dash, this is great!” Pinkie said excitedly grabbing her friend.

“What?!” Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon exclaimed baffled.

“I know, Sunset’s got a boyfriend!” Dash happily said to Pinkie.

“We’ve gotta tell the other girls! I bet they’re gonna want to meet him!” Pinkie said.

“Trust me, you might not want to get your hopes up for this one,” Silver Spoon nervously suggested.

“Oh, almost forgot,” Pinkie said noticing the two smaller girls again. “Don’t worry, you two. I’ll find a way to make up for that party you lost.”

“Come on, Pinkie. We’ve gotta tell the others,” Rainbow said.

“I can hardly wait!” Pinkie said excitedly as she and Dash took off down the hall leaving Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon behind.

“Ugh!” Diamond Tiara groaned in annoyance. “They have no idea what their getting themselves into.”

“Come on. We’d better get to class,” Silver Spoon suggested. “Maybe a little work will help put that horrible night behind us.”

Diamond Tiara frowned remembering the horrible night. Then she started walking with her friend.

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie met Applejack, Rarity, and Fluttershy and were walking down a hallway and talking about what they heard from Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

“So you see, it all makes sense now!” Pinkie excitedly told them.

“Ah’ never thought ah’d see the day when Sunset Shimmer would take up datin’ again,” Applejack said proudly.

“I’m so happy for her,” Fluttershy said.

“I simply must meet the lucky man!” Rairty said excitedly. “I bet after spending a few years with one another they’ll eventually decide to tie the knot, and I’ve already got our dear Sunset’s wedding dress design planned!”

“Calm down, Rarity,” AJ said putting her hand on the fashionista’s shoulder. “Baby steps. Let’s focus on meetin’ the guy first.” After walking down the hall for a while, they eventually found Sunset Shimmer emptying out her locker for the day.

“Sunset!” they all called and hurried over to meet her.

“Hi, girls,” Sunset politely responded. “How are things going?”

“Oh, we hear somethings are going pretty good for some people.” Rainbow said slyly and winked at her.

“What do you mean?” Sunset asked not understranding the sentence.

“We heard the good news,” Fluttershy said.

“What good news?” Sunset asked confused.

“Oh darling, you’ve become so secretive with your personal life,” Rarity teased.

“We heard ya’ found a new man ta’ hang out with,” AJ said humbly.

“You have a new boyfriend!” Pinkie excitedly and loudly announced.

Sunset’s look of confusion turned to one of nervousness. “You found out?”

“Oh yes. Congradulations, darling,” Rarity said.

“Is he cool?” Rainbow asked excitedly.

“We should all throw a party to celebrate!” Pinkie said shooting confetti from her sleeves.

“When were you thinking of introducing us to him?” AJ asked.

“I don’t know. He doesn’t have a lot of time to meet other people,” Sunset said nervously.

“Well, I’m sure he’d like to meet us,” Rainbow said confidently. “We’re your friends after all.”

Sunset looked up at a clock on a wall and it seemed to make her more nervous. “Sorry girls. I really need to get going. Goodbye.” With that, she darted down the hallway towards the school entrance leaving the Five confused.

“What’s up with her?” Rainbow asked.

“She looked like she was in a hurry,” Fluttershy said.

“I bet she’s going someplace to meet up with her new boyfriend,” Pinkie excitedly guessed.

“I say we should follow her and see if it’s true,” Rainbow suggested.

“Is that really a good idea?” Fluttershy asked skeptically.

“Absolutely,” Rainbow confidently replied. “What could possibly go wrong?”

“Ah’ don’t know,” AJ skeptically said. “Ah’ have a bad feelin’ about this.”

Sunset was walking at a fast pace down the sidewalk of a neighborhood. She was heading someplace, and judging be the nervous look on her face, she needed to get there fast.

“I hope I’m not too late,” She said to herself. “If I’m late, Zak won’t be too happy.”

After a while, she came to a house that looked like it was in need of a paint job. She was about to walk across the yard to the door when she heard a noise behind her. She turned around to find the Five standing in the middle of the sidewalk with big excited smiles on their faces.

“What are you doing here?” Sunset asked nervously sweating.

“You left so quickly,” Fluttershy explained. “We became concerned, so we followed you.”

“So his name is Zak?” Rainbow asked. “That’s a cool name.”

“And this is his place?” Pinkie asked staring at the house in front of them.

“I must say, it could really do with a new coat of paint,” Rarity said examining the house. “What do you think? Cerulean?”

“You shouldn’t be here,” Sunset anxiously told them while trying not to raise her voice too much.

“What’s wrong, sugarcube?” Applejack asked concerned. “Havin’ a new boyfriend isn’t somethin’ ta’ be embarrassed about isn’t?”

“It’s… it’s just-”

“Sunset!” came a loud and unpleasant voice from the house. They all turned to see a young man, probably in his early twenties, wearing long dark blue pants with chains, black boots, a black leather jacket, and sunglasses standing in the doorway. He looked to be a head taller than Sunset. He had dark red hair and tan skin, and was smoking a cigarette. He was also accompanied by two other guys; one was skinnier and shorter with spiky green hair, lip piercings, and wore similar clothing. The other was a little more portlier, wearing sneakers, black pants, a sleeveless t-shirt, and a cap. None of them looked very happy.

“Oh… hi, Zak,” Sunset nervously walked up and greeted the middle guy. “I’m here.”

“You’re late,” He replied angrily.

“Only by three minutes,” She said sheepishly. Then she covered her mouth as if realizing she just said something she shouldn’t had said.

“Excuse me?!” Zak asked raising his voice as he came closer to Sunset until he was towering over her. She trembled under his gaze. “Do you know what can happen in the short time of three minutes?” As Sunset struggled to come up with an acceptable responce, he turned his attention to the five girls staring nervously from the sidewalk. “Who the hell are these bimbos?”

The girls were utterly offended by his question.

“They’re my friends from CHS,” Sunset answered him.

“I don’t remember telling you to bring anyone with you,” He scolded.

“I know,” Sunset desperately tried to explain. “It’s just, they found out about us and got excited. So they followed me-” before Sunset could finish her explanation, Zak took his cigarette out of his mouth and blew a little smoke into her face causing her to cough and cover her eyes.

“I don’t give a shit,” He told her in a threatening tone and grabbed the collar of her shirt. “If I tell you to get here on a certain time, then you’d better hell get here. I don’t care what obstacles you think you have to face, and I don’t want any of your shitty excuses. Understand?”

“Y... yes, sir,” Sunset timidly agreed. Her eyes were etched with fear as he held her.

“Good,” Zak said releasing her shirt. “Now get in there. Some of the other guys arrived earlier and there’s a pile of dishes on the table, so get to work.”

“Better be quick about it,” The slim guy at the door said with a snicker.

“You don’t want to upset him anymore than you already have,” The portly guy chuckled.

“Right,” Sunset replied obiediantly and miserably.

Zak shoot the five other girls a cold glare before closing the door. The Five all stood on the sidewalk in utter shock. Sunset’s new boyfriend was not what they all thought he would be, not at all.