With the day finally over, and the weekend approaching, Sunset Shimmer eagerly walked to her locker with her group of friends.
"You really should give it a go you guys," Rainbow Dash offered to the group, "it really isn't that scary when you get into it".
"Heck no, ah like my feet right where they supposed to be!" Applejack replied, stomping her feet into the ground.
"Pinkie?"
"Well, while it does sound super duper fun, I can't," her hair deflated for a few seconds before springing back to it's usual form.
"Sunset?"
Sunset tapped her chin with her finger, "Well... you never know when the chance will come up again".
Rainbow raised her fist into the air and brought it back down again, "yesssss, trust me you won't regret it! Rarity?"
"Oh dear no, as thrilling as it sounds darling I don't think I'll will be able to get on the plane to begin with," Rarity placed her hand on her chest.
"Twilight?"
Twilight closed her locker and fiddled with her backpack, "No thank you Rainbow. As safe as skydiving is supposed to be, I agree with Applejack in terms of flying".
"Fluttersh-" Rainbow looked at Fluttershy who smiled at her, "nevermind".
Sunset fiddled with her lock, after winning the fight she successfully opened her locker door. While opening it however, a piece of paper dropped on the floor. Looking down, she picked it up and opened it.
Sunset Shimmer
I need to meet you on the 2nd floor of the library, near the history section after classes have ended. More will be revealed soon.
Come alone.
Rainbow looked over Sunset's shoulder and smirked, "Well, looks like someone has a secret admirer".
"What!?" Pinkie screamed.
"Hey, I'd go easy on him if you plan on telling him the bad news," Applejack knocked Sunset's arm with her elbow.
"I don't think it's that type of meeting, this sounds urgent," Sunset read the letter carefully and flipped it over.
"And how do you know that?" Rainbow put her hands on her hips as she teased.
"For starters, if this was a love note, they wouldn't use my full name and write this formally," Sunset scanned through the note once more. "Also, there would probably be some sappy poem".
"Well, she does have us there. Now, will you attend this secret little one on one?" Rarity chuckled as she could see her cheeks begin to turn a shade of red.
"I guess, if it's as urgent as it sounds then I should go. Talk to you later?" Sunset asked as she examined the note once again.
"Speak to you later darling, and don't forget to give us the juicy details once you escape," Rarity reminded as he walked out of the door with the others as they said their goodbyes.
"The library," Sunset muttered to herself, her eyes squinted as they skimmed across once again.
The library was large, open and empty, with rows bookshelves neatly standing around the edges of the room with a suite of computers in the center. Walking up the stairs, Sunset navigated through the maze of bookshelves, she examined the rows and rows of books until she began to see spines with content going back to somewhat recent and old history written on them.
Sunset looked around and found a small table with two chairs against an indent into the wall. Sunset sat down, she looked out of the window and saw the large, empty marble pedestal outside. She smirked and pulled a small book out of her backpack and flipped open the page that a bookmark had been on. Flipping through the pages, she began to get absorbed into it until she heard a voice.
"A good read by the looks of it".
Sunset yelped and fell out of her chair. She looked behind her to see a man with brown, neat hair had offered his hand. Sunset grabbed it and was pulled up from the ground, making sure that her head did not collide with the hard wooden table. She backpedaled away from him and stared at him.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he chuckled. After an awkward silence, he gestured towards the chair. They both sat down opposite each other, Sunset took another look at him. He was wearing a plain, sky blue polo top with a set of thin rimmed spectacles. His face was somewhat square, with some stubble lining his chin.
"Who are you?" She asked, rubbing her arm.
"You may call me Aldous," Aldous rose from his seat as he pulled out the book from under him and handed it back to Sunset.
"I'm sorry to be blunt, but if this is a confession then I'm sorry, I'm just not interested in a relationship," Sunset lowered her head, but rose it sharply to find that Aldous began to laugh.
"I'm sorry, hold on," he could barely get any words out as he put his hand to his forehead and continued to give a hearty laugh.
"I'm guessing it's not that then," Sunset awkwardly joined in.
"No, not that at all," he chuckled before sitting up straight again, "I'm here to ask you some questions".
"Oh, what about?" she perked up.
"Well, I overheard that something odd happened at Camp Everfree," Aldous pulled out a notepad and pen from his backpack and placed it on the table. "Something out of this world, something that shouldn't of happened. Something ... magical". Aldous put emphasis on the word magical as he pointed his pen at the blank piece of paper.
"Well, one of our camp counselors did go a bit crazy, and perhaps some outlandish things did happen while she was going crazy." Sunset rubbed the back of her neck as she explained the freakish events of the recent camp.
"Your school has encountered two separate cases of a powerful magical being invading your school. A political answer really doesn't hide anything Sunset," Aldous remarked as he gave her a deadpan look.
"Right, sorry. The camp counselor was under the influence of some odd magic crystals that we found in a cave," she looked him up and down, "you're not with the police are you?"
Aldous carried on writing, not even taking a chance to look at her. "No, I am asking these questions for a different manner than law enforcement".
"Oh, can I ask why you're writing these down?"
"Well, it is part of my own investigation into something. You said magic crystals?"
"Yeah?" Sunset asked with suspicion, she felt underneath her shirt the small pendant that she had dangling off her necklace.
"How many?"
"Seven," Sunset stated. Aldous stopped writing and looked up at Sunset.
"Seven crystals?" Aldous narrowed his eyes at her, "you have one on you".
"What?! How did you know?" Sunset grabbed her necklace and pushed the chair back.
"The magic you have is very powerful, even in the form you posses it in!" Aldous stood up quickly and pointed at her. "I'll have to ask you a few more questions before you-".
"No, I think we're done with questions!" She stood up sharply and began to walk away quickly. However, she felt her necklace rise from her chest and began to pull away from her. Sunset turned around and saw Aldous holding his hand out, soon enough the pendant detached itself and flew into his hand. Sunset raced towards Aldous who raised his finger.
"You'll get it back, but first, more questions." Aldous nodded his head towards the seat, Sunset stomped towards the chair and forced herself into the seat.
"Fine, but first, how did you do that?" she asked as she looked at Aldous who was examining the small red charm.
"I suppose it's fair for you to ask a question," he rubbed his chin while observing the necklace, "telekinesis, a simple spell but always a useful one".
"You can do magic?!" Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped.
"Yes, listen I do not have much time left. I need to ask you some things that are very important," Aldous placed the small amulet down on the table.
"Okay, if it's that important then go on," she huffed.
He picked up his pen and cleared this throat, "Where are the other 6 crystals, or by looking at this amulet, the other 6 amulets?"
"With my other friends, they helped me diffuse the situation with Gloriosa".
"Okay, what else have you done with these powers since you have had them?" Aldous narrowed his eyes, not breaking eye contact with Sunset.
"After that we organised a ball for the camp and enjoyed the rest of the camp," she crossed her arms, "what, were you expecting something else?"
He eyes opened up, "No, I expected you to go mad with power," he retorted sarcastically as he began to write once more. His head shot up, "Oh dear, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that, what I meant was is that in my experience power goes to your head, especially when-"
"Hey, I know you didn't mean it like that," she sighed in exasperation. Aldous then returned to his notebook.
"Well, that's that section out of the way. Now just a few more questions and we will be done," Aldous flipped back a few pages and looked up at Sunset. "Have you had any migraines since you had contact with this magic? If you suffered from them before, have they gotten worse?"
"No, nothing at all".
"Any nausea, fainting?"
"Nope, nothing of the sort".
"Any sores, abnormal rashes?"
"No".
Aldous cringed slightly, "has your urine or stool came out in any unusual colours ?"
"Woah! Time out," Sunset made a 'T' shape with her hands. She cleared her throat and shuffled in her seat slightly and muttered, "no, it's been a normal colour". Aldous laid back in his chair, looked up toward the ceiling and released a long sigh.
"Oh that's a tremendous relief, my job would of been far more difficult if you answered yes to any of those".
"Well, glad to make your job easier, what else do you need?" she asked, sighing as she looked at her watch.
He ripped off a page from his notebook and handed it to Sunset," you're going to want to ask your friends these questions. If they answer yes to any of them then I want you to give them some of these. He pulled out a small white box and opened them, then twisted it towards Sunset, revealing bags of midnight blue mushrooms.
"Er, I hope you know those are illegal here?" Sunset stared at the unusual foliage that was presented to her. Aldous laughed as he pulled out a single bag.
"This is a medicinal mushroom Sunset, not meant to get high off but rather to cure a side effect from magic use," Aldous explained as he put the bag back in the box and handed it to her. "Trust me, these aren't narcotics.
"Okay, but if I get arrested because of this then I will find you," she leaned forwards and jabbed him with her finger.
"I feel like you're smart enough to stop that from happening" as he picked up his backpack and stood up, "you can keep the elements. I feel like you are worthy to wield them".
"Wait, what do you mean worthy?" Sunset also stood up, "who exactly are you?"
Aldous began to walk away from Sunset, he looked back and gave a smile, "don't make me regret this choice Sunset, I'm putting a lot of trust into you". He turned the corner towards the open area of the library. Sunset clambered over her backpack and began to pursue him.
"Wait, I have more questions," Sunset turned the corner to find that he was gone, she looked down each row and hurried down the stairs. "Did you just see a guy with a blue shirt on rush past here?" She asked the librarian who gave Sunset a puzzled look.
"No, I'm afraid not dearie," the librarian replied and continued on towards the desk. Sunset retraced her steps, looking down each row of bookshelves once again before returning to her backpack. She picked up a small sticky note that had been attached to it and looked down each row once again.
Fair thee well student of Princess Celestia, I wish you luck in the future.
"What," Sunset asked herself, gripping the yellow piece of paper hard before picking up her backpack and rushing outside of the library. She walked outside and looked at the marble plinth the equine statue once stood proud on in front of her. She walked slowly towards it and placed her hand on the smooth, flat surface. There, she began to run her hand across all sides of it before sitting down and looking at the crumpled note in her hand.
Don't make me regret this choice
His voice echoed in her head, she stood back up and looked towards the school. Suddenly her pocket vibrated, she pulled out her phone and looked at it. She gave a light smile before walking off into the city.
