Sunset Shimmer's alarm clock buzzed at the crack of 6:30. She rubbed her eyes, yawned, and climbed out of bed. She brushed her teeth, got dressed, ate breakfast, and walked out the door of her apartment complex. She unlocked her bike from the bike rack, and pedaled off toward Canterlot High. She hummed to herself as the wind whipped through her bacon-colored hair. The birds alighted on tree branches, chirping happily. Sunset waved to a few people she knew walking down the streets, and they returned the favor. Sunset took a deep breath and said out loud, "Ah, spring!"
A diesel truck revved its engine. Sunset coughed the smoke out of her lungs. She had come to expect these typical big-city inconveniences in the three years she had been living in this world, and she never complained about them. She chuckled as she remembered the fact that she secretly liked the smell of diesel fuel.
She reached CHS around 7:15, and not too many people were out on the grounds. She had some time, so she unzipped her backpack and got out the communication book she used to talk with Princess Twilight. She opened it up and looked through some of her previous conversations, and laughed as she saw a few, shall we say, more provocative entries. She turned to an empty page and put the pen to the paper, and then she stopped.
She realized she had nothing to write to Princess Twilight about. Nothing interesting was happening. Sunset shrugged and put away the book. Spur of the moment, no biggie. She got up from the stairs and went inside the building. A few people were at their lockers, and others were walking down the halls to get to their classrooms. Sunset looked around, and someone she knew caught her eye.
"Hi Twilight," she said, walking up to her friend. Twilight seemed startled, suddenly started shoving everything in her locker backwards. Sunset wanted to say something, but Twilight slammed he locker door shut and put her back against it. "Hello, Sunset," she said with a suspiciously sheepish grin.
Sunset folded her arms and said, "Olay, what's all this about?" As expected, Twilight went through the usual routine of "oh, nothing" and fidgeting uncomfortably. Sunset rolled her eyes and said straightforwardly, "It's Timber, isn't it?"
Twilight's pupils dilated behind her thick glasses, before she sighed and mumbled, "Yeah. Guess there's no use hiding it anymore." She opened her locker and a bunch of report papers and pens fell out. But what was noticeable was the numerous amounts of Timber selfies and pictures lining the walls. Sunset shook her head and put a hand on Twilight's shoulder. "It's fine. We all have probably gone through this stage in life. I fully understand." Twilight looked up and was about to say something, when she was interrupted by a loud and high-pitched voice saying, "TWILIGHT!!!!!!!! OHMYGODOHMYGOD YOU CAME TODAY!!!!! I MISSED YOU SO MUCH YESTERDAY AND YOU'RE FINALLY BACK!!!!!!!!"
Pinkie Pie had appears from nowhere and was squeezing Twilight in a death-grip-style hug. Twilight gasped for breath and managed to get out a barely audible "nice to see you too, Pinkie." Pinkie let go and started rambling about how empty her life was the day before and that she felt so overjoyed when she saw Twilight and how Maud's favorite cereal was Cocoa Pebbles, but Sunset stopped her, saying "Twilight just got over a cold and she might want a little personal space right now." Pinkie blinked for around fifteen seconds, then said, "Okie-dokie-lokie!" and skipped off.
Twilight rubbed her body down, checking for any bone fractures, and then said, "I guess someone remembers me." Her smile faded, and she looked down at the ground. Sunset had pity and chided, "I'm sure Timber will call back eventually. There's no way he could ever forget that night at the Crystal Ball."
Normal Norman walked by and opened his locker. A tarantula crawled out and slipped under the door of the girls' bathroom. Norman stared at the door for a moment, a tired look of depression on his face.
Sunset walked over to the door and peeked inside. The humongous arachnid was perched on top of one o the stall doors. She figured she should warn somebody, but the voice of Principal Celestia sounded over the PA.
"Would Sunset shimmer meet me in my office, please? Repeat, Sunset Shimmer, my office. Sunset turned to Twilight and said, "Please tell someone about the spider," and rushed off. She didn't notice that Twilight was paralyzed with fear. Rarity came by, talking on her cell phone, and opened the restroom door.
Sunset opened the door to Principal Celestia's office and said, "What did you call me for?" Celestia ignored the sound of a high-pitched scream coming from the vicinity of the restrooms, and said, "Sunset, you are our prize speaker, and we appreciate all the effort you've put into the school community." Sunset suppressed a smile and said, "Thank you ma'am. Is it something important you need me to handle again?" Celestia nodded and replied, "It's nothing serious, but we have some transfers coming in today, and we need you to take them through the tour." Sunset leaned back and said, "Not a problem. I can take care of that anytime." Celestia said, "I know, but this time it's different. These students are transfers…from Japan."
Sunset's train of thought derailed and she awoke from a semi-stupor. "J-Japan?" she stuttered, clear anxiety in her voice. "I figured that you would be the best shot at initiating foreign students, seeing as how you are from another world after all."
Celestia rose from her chair and looked out the window. "When Luna and I were young, we always dreamed of visiting a place like Japan. All the foreign wonders were utterly fascinating, and I have to admit we obsessed about it." She turned to Sunset. "As the years passed, though, we soon forgot and buried the ideas in the back of our minds. But still, we wanted to have a little taste of foreign culture here at our school, but we never got the chance. That's why when we first heard of Japanese students transferring here, we snatched it up immediately."
Celestia rested her hand on Sunset's shoulder. "That's why I want you to go out there and socialize. Make them feel welcome. You will make us very happy." Sunset knew she couldn't turn down a genuinely pleasing command from her principal, so despite temptation to the contrary, she said, "I will do it ma'am. If it means this much to you, I'm more than happy."
Celestia smiled and said, "Thank you, Sunset." She motioned sighs her hand that Sunset should go on, and Sunset habitually gave a slight bow and walked out of the office, closing the engraved door behind her.
Sunset had to wait no more than two minutes before the transfers entered to doors of CHS. One was a girl with two pigtails in orange bands, and the other was a boy whose hulking muscles would give Bulk Biceps a run for his money. The boy folded his arms and grunted, "Fancy." The girl nodded her head and said, "We musta stuck it rich this time!" Sunset's mind was racing with language skills and her heart was racing with nervousness, but she kept a calm appearance and a friendly face. "Hello," she greeted the two newcomers. My name is Sunset Shimmer. Are you the transfers I'm supposed to show around?" The girl leaped over and shook her hand enthusiastically. "We sure are! My name is Ling Xiaoyu and this is my acquaintance, Jin Kazama! We got transferred here from Tokyo and we weren't too sure about moving here, but I've changed my mind! America sure is beautiful, and this is a real nice school ya got here! All the fancy arches and domes and stuff, I think I'm gonna like it here!"
"Oh my god," Sunset thought. "We've got a duplicate Pinkie Pie!" "I'm sure you will," Sunset said. "Come with me and I'll show you around." Xiaoyu giggled and followed close behind Sunset. Jin grunted and slowly ambled after the two. Sunset could feel something. Something dangerous. Something dark. She knew that there was more to these two than meets the eye.
As Sunset continued showing Xiaoyu and Jin around, they kept up a quiet conversation.
"How's this school so far, Jin?"
"Mediocre."
"What? Why's that?"
"It's too...prissy...for my taste."
"Oh, come on. It's nice and fancy!"
"That's what I mean."
"Get out! Why are you so worried about it, anyways?"
"I'm only worried I'm not gonna learn a damn thing."
Snips and Snails were at the vending machine. Trixie was also at the vending machine. They appeared to be fighting about something, presumably peanut butter crackers. For once it looked like the the two puny freshmen were actually winning, lording it over the Great and Powerful Trrrixie. Sunset stopped in her tracks. This was a truly shocking moment. Xiaoyu, at some point, took pity on the Humble and Penitent Trixie and shouted, "HEY YOU KIDS! PICK ON SOMEBODY YOUR OWN SEX!" She then proceeded to hammer the dorks against the wall before launching them across the hall with a mighty kick.
Sunset was aghast. Jin was dumbfounded. Snips and Snails were unconscious. Sunset looked at Xiaoyu, then at Snips and Snails. She knew this would not go well. Snips groggily mumbled, "Captain Snips to sick bay..." Jin planted his face in his hand and growled, "So much for inconspicuosity."
Meanwhile, outside the building, a blue sports car was exceeding the speed limit by a good 40mph. The driver was Rainbow Dash, who, as expected, was fashionably late to school. She skidded into the parking lot, causing a loud screech and marking the pavement. As the car roared into a parking space, Rainbow's cell phone buzzed. She slammed her foot on the brake pedal, causing another skid mark. The car screeched to a grinding halt mere inches from the backside of the school.
She jumped out the door and raced at full speed around the building. She checked her phone as she ran, and it was a text from Sunset. All it said was, "somethings up u should come soon", so Rainbow pushed herself to the limit. She was around the front now, so she slid to change direction, burning a small hole in the sole of her left shoe. She paused for a second to ease the pain, leaning against the base of the now-missing statue.
A side of the base started to glow. Princess Twilight flew out, landing face first on the asphalt. Rainbow managed to say, "Hey Twilight," between heavy breaths, only to have Princess Twilight shush her and say, "Sunset contacted me, I gotta go."
Rainbow ran after her, more to be on time than to talk to Princss Twilight, but she struck up a conversation anyway. "How's things in Equestria?"
"No time, Rainbow. Sunset needs my help."
"What, did she text you or something?"
"In a manner, yes."
Realization struck Rainbow. "You mean you use those books to text each other?! AWESOME!"
Sunset came out the door just as Rainbow and Princess Twilight reached it. She was pushing Xiaoyu out the door. "No time to explain, just--Princess Twilight! The phone-to book device you invented actually works! Well, the other you." Jin said, "Wh--" Sunset cut him off. "It's a long story." She looked at Princess Twilight and said, "I think these two have som ties to Equestrian magic. Maybe you could--" Princess Twilight shook her head. "That's half the reason I came. There's some unknown magic coming here, and it could mean total annihilation for both of our worlds!"
Xiaoyu and Rainbow said in unison, "WHAAAAAAA?!"
The first bell rang. Rainbow said, "Tell me! I gotta get to class!"
They were all interrupted by a giant boom in the sky. A huge golden piece of chain shot out of the hole in the sky and impaled the statue base/portal to Equestria. Princess Twilight screamed, "THAT!!!"
Anger and panic arose in Jin's eyes. "Oh shit," he whispered. "They're back!"
Author's Note
I am writing this because there is a depressing lack of Project X Zone on this site.
